ELLA    V — , 


OR 


THE     JULY     TOUR 


BY   ONE   OF   THE    PARTY. 


He  can  form  a  moral  on  a  glass  of  champagne. 

LE  ROT. 


N  E  W  -  Y  O  R  K  : 

D.    APPLETON    &    CO.,    200   BROAD  WAV. 
1841. 


f  „ 


ENTERED  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1840,  by 

D.    APPLETON    &    CO., 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern 
District  of  New- York. 


UNIVERSITY  PRESS— JOHN  F.  TROW,  PRINTER. 


INTRODUCTION. 

THE  principal  object  of  the  writer  of  the  follow 
ing  pages,  has  been  to  record  the  religious  reflec 
tions  which  they  contain.  The  fictitious  part  of 
the  work  is  a  mere  appendage,  in  which  he  has 
purposely  avoided  plot  and  denouement,  so  usually 
and  essentially  the  parts  of  a  novel. 


M41750 


ELLA  V. 


OR 


THE     JULY      TOUR. 


SECTION    I. 

A  PERSON,  on  a  lovely  July  morning,  standing 
on  the  deck  of  a  steamer,  just  ready  to  leave  her 
fastenings  to  move  like  a  courser  up  the  Hudson, 
would  be  characterized  for  little  feeling,  were  he 
to  gaze  without  emotion  on  the  grouping  multitude 
around  him.  He  sees  many  a  face  lighted  up  with 
a  smile  of  expected  pleasure  as  he  hears  the  part 
ing  salutation,  the  spirited  jest,  the  lady-laugh,  and 
the  exhortation  to  the  leaving  party,  that  they  will 
take  care  of  themselves  ;  with  a  hundred  wishes 
that  they  may  have  a  pleasant  tour  and  a  safe 
return.  By  a  single  change,  the  eye  of  the  ob 
server  of  this  happy  group  may  be  arrested  by  a 
graver  circle,  seated  in  their  solitary  musings  ;  or 
rest  upon  some  face  that  has  just  brushed  from  the 
cheek  the  feeling  and  farewell  tear.  But  could  the 
bosom  of  each  stranger-face  at  such  a  moment  be 
read,  it  would  only  give,  like  every  other  crowd, 
the  world's  varied  and  vast  emotion,  in  less  but 
1 


2       *  *'"          fiLLA  V.*  *Olt*T!IE    JULY    TOUR. 

-pfrip&i&kmate  amount^*  of  *fhe  joyous  and  the  sor 
rowful,  which  swells  the  ever  agitated  bosoms  of 
mankind. 

The  little  group  among  whom  the  writer  deemed 
himself  fortunate  to  have  been  thrown,  had  its 
brighter  and  more  shaded  faces.  Upon  the  arm  of 
Le  Roy,  a  young  and  joyous  bride  was  leaning, 
although  this  was  not  their  bridal-tour.  Her 
younger  sister  stood  at  her  side,  with  a  fresh  lip, 
and  a  cheek  deepened  by  the  early  breath  of  the 
morning;  and  her  young  heart  gushed  free  in  her 
anticipations  of  looking  abroad  on  the  wide  world, 
which,  as  yet,  she  had  only  known  through  the 
medium  of  her  school-books,  or  in  the  conversa 
tion  of  the  family  circle  ;  or  in  the  dreams  and  ro 
mance  of  fiction  and  the  imaginings  of  a  young 
and  unsophisticated  heart.  And  yet,  from  circum 
stances  of  early  illness,  she  had  acquired  a  habit 
of  thought  and  manner  beyond  the  usual  intelli 
gence  and  address  of  a  young  lady  of  sixteen. 
She  was  speaking  to  a  young  gentleman  who  was 
to  join  the  party  the  next  morning  at  the  Springs, 
and  who  left  her,  in  the  mean  time,  with  the  hope 
that  her  anticipations  of  pleasure  might  be  more 
than  realized.  A  slight  shade  deepened  the  deli 
cate  bloom  on  the  cheek  of  Miss  V.  as  her  eye  met 
the  young  gentleman's  parting  look.  We  were 
told,  on  his  leaving  the  boat,  that  he  was  a  young 
clergyman  of  superior  abilities  and  finished  educa- 


ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY    TOUR. 

tion,  and  as  remarkable  for  his  refined  taste  as  his 
engaging  and  polished  manners.  Mrs.  E.,  one  of 
his  parishioners,  a  young  widow  lady,  and  her  sweet 
orphan  girl,  four  years  old,  whom  he  had  accom 
panied  from  the  south,  were  of  our  party.  This 
little  girl  had  a  fresh  bouquet  of  flowers  in  her 
hand,  and  was  urging  the  servant  that  accompa 
nied  her  to  put  them  into  water,  that  they  might 
be  kept  fresh  and  fair  for  her  friend  Mr.  F., 
the  young  clergyman,  when  he  should  overtake 
them  at  Saratoga  the  next  morning. 

The  last  bell  of  the  steamer  had  rung.  Our 
boat  shot  out  from  the  dock,  and  led  on  her  course 
ahead  of  the  opposition,  until  the  receding  boat 
was  lost,  erelong,  in  the  distance. 

We  seldom  finish  our  sail  in  a  steamboat  with 
out  meeting  with  a  number  of  old  friends,  and  add 
ing  new  names  to  the  list  of  our  speaking  acquaint 
ances.  Mrs.  E.  and  child  were  soon  recognised 
by  some  southern  friends,  with  whom  there  was  a 
beautiful  little  girl  of  eight  or  ten  years  of  age, 
who  had  attracted  Mr.  F.'s  attention  on  board  the 
boat  from  Norfolk  to  Baltimore,  as  resembling  his 
only  sister,  and  for  whom,  while  on  board  the 
boat,  he  had  pencilled  a  few  lines  of  poetry,  which 
the  little  girl  now  recited  to  them. 

The  next  morning,  at  about  eleven  o'clock,  little 
Rosa  E.  was  seen  running  across  the  room  at  Con 
gress  Hall,  with  an  immense  bouquet  in  her  tiny 


4  ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY   TOUR. 

hand,  exclaiming,  in  her  young  joyousness,  "Here, 
Mr.  F.,  is  a  whole  mess  of  flowers  for  you.  Mo 
ther  and  I  plucked  them  in  Tayette  Place,  and 
Magdalen  has  kept  them  fresh  and  fair  for  you/' 
Mr.  F.  caught  the  little  girl  in  his  arms  and  gave 
her  a  kiss  of  welcome  meeting,  and  assured  her 
that  he  should  value  the  bouquet  very  much,  as 
coming  from  his  little  friend,  Rosa  E.  The  bouquet 
arrested  the  conversation  for  a  moment,  while  the 
peculiar  beauties  of  the  different  flowers  were 
pointed  out ;  and  their  rich  perfume  gave  its  fra 
grance  impartially  to  all  the  little  party,  which  had 
now  collected  in  one  corner  of  the  room. 

"  How  perfect  is  nature  in  all  her  creations," 
said  Miss  Ella  V.,  as  she  inspected  a  beautiful 
white  lily,  which  Mr.  F.  had  selected  for  her. 
"  And  beauty,  I  am  sure,  to  be  perfect,"  she  con 
tinued,  "  must  have  the  modest  look  of  these  meek- 
eyed  bells,  which,  by  the  gentle  bend  of  their 
necks,  seem  too  timid  to  endure  the  gaze  of  their 
admirers." 

"La  Belle  Nature,"  said  Le  Roy.  "A  very 
good  play  upon  words,  Miss  V." 

"And  nature  is  no  less  perfect  in  her  colouring 
and  contrasts,"  said  Mrs.  E.,  as  she  exhibited  a 
beautiful  moss-rose,  whose  splendid  red  petals  had 
nearly  bursted  its  brilliant  green  calix.  "They 
say  our  enjoyments  are  heightened  by  contrasts, 
although,  in  feeling,  I  think  our  experience  will 


ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY   TOUR.  5 

find  less  harmony  in  the  sentiment  than  the  eye 
perceives  in  nature's  beautiful  blending  of  colours." 
"  I  have  always  felt  my  sympathies  touched 
when  gazing  on  the  snow-drop,"  said  Mr.  F.,  as  he 
cast  his  eyes  on  the  dark  weeds  of  the  young 
widow  ;  "  it  is  the  early  harbinger  of  joyous  spring- 
days,  after  the  sad  decay  of  winter  months.  If  I 
mistake  not,  it  is  called  the  emblem  of  consolation, 
and  I  have  somewhere  seen  a  stanza  to  it : 

1  Thou  spirit-flower,  I'll  pluck  thy  bell, 
An  offering  for  my  breast: 
When  ills  of  life  my  bosom  swell, 
Thy  prophet-flowers  each  storm  shall  quell, 
And  yield  me  promised  rest.'  " 

"  Cui  bono  ?"  said  Le  Roy,  as  he  placed  a  beau 
tiful  cluster  of  small  pinks,  with  a  dwarf-white 
rose,  in  the  braided  hair  of  his  lady.  "  I  have  often 
queried  what  flowers  were  good  for.  And  yet,  I 
thought  Azile's  hair  graced  the  simple  japonica 
last  new-year's  bridal-night — or  the  japonica  graced 
her  hair — which  is  it,  now,  friends  V 

The  eyes  of  all  rested  on  the  head-dress  of  Mrs. 
Le  R.,  and  they  felt  most  truly  that  both  the  flow 
ers  and  Mrs.  Le  Roy's  person  were  nature's  beau 
tiful  and  perfect  works. 

"I  remember,"  said  Mr.  F.,  "  when  I  sympathized 

less  than  I  now  do  in  the  sentiment,  that  we  should 

'look  through   nature  up  to  nature's  God.'      My 

feelings  never  rose  to  positive  emotion  when  study- 

1* 


6  ELLA  V.,    OR   THE   JULY   TOUR. 

ing  the  character  of  the  Creator  through  his 
works ;  or,  rather,  I  did  not  study  his  character 
thus,  and  the  sentence  as  given  us  by  Mr.  Pope  al 
ways  seemed  to  me  to  have  something  about  it  like 
affectation.  I  probably  was  peculiar,  or,  at  least,  I 
have  come  to  feel  differently  from  what  I  once  did. 
I  think  we  learn  the  character  of  God  in  his  works 
as  certainly,  in  many  delightful  particulars,  as  in 
his  word.  The  flowers  speak  to  us  in  beautiful 
illustration  of  the  mind  or  characteristic  being  of 
God.  If  we  see  an  ingenious  mechanism  that 
attracts  our  attention  and  surprise,  we  at  once  say 
that  it  must  have  been  an  ingenious  mind  that  con 
ceived  and  constructed  it.  So  also  with  regard  to 
whatever  may  awake  the  sublime  in  emotion,  when 
we  contemplate  the  works  of  man — as  in  the  case 
of  the  politician  or  the  philanthropist,  who  has 
conceived  and  carried  to  successful  accomplish 
ment  a  plan  which  has  bestowed  aggrandizement 
upon  a  nation  and  happiness  upon  a  world.  We 
say  that  he  is  a  genius,  a  hero,  a  benefactor,  as  the 
case  shall  be.  Apply  this  to  the  character  of  God. 
His  conception  of  the  system  of  the  planetary 
worlds — his  impelling  them  in  their  spheres  with 
such  fleet  and  unerring  motion — performing  their 
circuits  in  harmony  and  regularity,  does  not  fail 
to  impress  the  mind  with  the  greatness  and  the 
sublimity  of  the  mental  character  of  God.  But 
this  gives  us  the  vast  and  the  ingenious,  which 


ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY    TOUR.  7 

might  yet  be  unlovely.     But  in  the  beauties  of  na 
ture  we  read  the  loveliness  of  the  character  of  God. 
It  must  have   been  a  beautiful  mind  to  have  con 
ceived  these  lovely  flowers.     Mr.  Le  Roy  asks  for 
their  utility.     It  is  to  gratify  and  to  render  more 
happy  and  amiable  a  world,  that  God  desired  should 
be  happy.     He  has  first  made  us  with  susceptibil 
ities  that  are  pleased  with  beauty— given  us  per 
ceptions  to    discover  and   appreciate   this  beauty, 
and  placed  before  us  beautiful  objects  thus  for  our 
contemplation  and  delight.     Look  now  at  this  pink 
— the   scallop-edges  of  its  variegated  leaves — its 
colour,  which  with  Mrs.  E.  we  admit  to  be  perfect 
and  inimitable — its  fragrance — it  is  a  perfect,  beau 
tiful  thing  of  its  kind,  and  it  must  have  been  a 
beautiful  mind  that  conceived  it,  and  formed  it  for 
our  pleasure.     It  is  thus  we  will  see  that  God  em 
braces   in  his  character,  in  an  infinite  degree,  all 
those  qualities — commanding  and  beautiful  charac 
teristics,  which  we  most  admire   in  our  most  pei- 
fect  conception  of  a  most  perfect  human  being,  to 
whom  we  would  give  our  admiration  and  love — in 
telligence,    ingenuousness,    sublimity  and  beauty, 
and   poetry    of  thought  ;  and   dignity,    greatness, 
and  benevolence   in  action.     Therefore  when  we 
are  called  upon  to  love  such  a  Being,  it  is  not  that 
we   should  give  our  affection  to  an  ugly,  morose, 
austere,  and  unlovely  existence,  who  has  power  to 
make  us  miserable  if  we  do  not  love  him  ;  but  it  is 


8  ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY   TOUR, 

to  one  who  embraces  in  his  character  all  that  is 
worthy  of  our  admiration ;  all  that  can  win  affec 
tion,  secure  veneration,  devotion  and  love,  as  a 
Being  who  has  concerted  for  our  greatest  and  en 
during  interests,  and  desires  that  we  should  be 
happy  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  familiar  and  endur 
ing  friendship.  Who  then  would  not  love  such  a 
perfect  Existence — such  a  beautiful  Mind — such 
an  elevated  Being  V 

As  Mr.  F.  put  this  question  in  a  tone  of  softened 
feeling,  his  eye  lingered  on  Miss  Ella  V.,  who  for 
a  moment  seemed  lost  in  the  abstractions  of  her 
own  mind,  which  had  been  excited  by  the  remarks 
of  Mr.  F.  As  he  ended,  her  involuntary  sigh  de 
clared  that  emotion  had  been  awakened  in  a  bosom 
which  had  before  mused  with  feeling  on  the  lan 
guage,  "  I  love  them  that  love  me,  and  those  that 
seek  me  early  shall  find  me." 

"  To  me,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  "  as  if  answering  his 
own  question,  there  is  an  inexpressible  loveliness  in 
the  character  of  God,  as  spoken  forth  from  the  ex 
quisite  and  beautiful  flowers  of  creation." 

"Come,  Rosa,"  he  added  abruptly, as  he  tossed 
the  little  girl  upon  his  knee,  "you  and  I  must  go 
and  put  these 

1  Pinks  and  posies, 
And  violets  and  roses, 
And  rosemary  tree,' 

into  afresh  tumbler  of  water.     We  will  show  Mrs. 


9 

Le  Roy,  however  pretty  that  white  rose  now  looks 
in  her  hair-braid,  that  we  shall  have  more  of  the 
petals  on  ours  at  tea-time,  than  she  will  have." 

The  same  evening  Mr.  F.  sent  a  fresher  bouquet, 
which  he  had  culled  from  a  private  garden  he  visit 
ed  during  the  day,  accompanied  with  the  following 
lines  to  Miss  Ella  V. : 

Go  forth,  go  forth,  ray  sweet  bouquet, 
And  find  the  maid  that's  light  and  gay, 
And  yet  that  sometimes  sadness  feels 
When  lonely  thought  the  heart  reveals. 

Give  out,  give  out  thy  rich  perfume, 
And  bear  to  her  thy  odorous  charm  ; 
Tell  who  thy  tints  of  beauty  gave, 
And  win  from  her  the  thoughts  that  save. 

O  say,  O  say  there's  not  a  flower 
That  decks  the  heath  or  lady's  bower, 
But  tells  that  God  his  smile  hath  given 
To  woo  the  fearful  soul  to  heaven. 
And  if,  and  if  she  press  thee  near 
A  heart  that  sometimes  aches  with  care, 
O  point  her  to  the  Christian  road, 
And  win  her  aching  heart  to  God. 

And  if,  and  if  thou  e'er  shouldst  see 
A  struggling  tear  in  Ella's  eye, 
More  pearly  than  the  gem  of  dew 
That  gilds  thy  leaves  of  loveliest  hue ; 

O  tell  her,  tell  a  Saviour  wept 

O'er  those  whose  hearts  full  sorrows  kept, 

Nor  only  tear  for  tear  he  gave, 

But  hopes  once  lost  called  from  their  grave. 


10         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

And  when,  and  when  her  heart  and  eye 

Wake  full  of  joy  and  merrily, 

Tell  her  RELIGION  will  inspire 

The  bosom's  gladdening  joys  the  higher. 

Bear  then,  bear  then,  my  sweet  bouquet, 

To  Ella  forth  this  friendly  lay, 

And  say  she  ne'er  can  be  forgot, 

While  Friendship  wakes  the  willing  thought. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          11 


SECTION    II. 

THE  party  had  spent  several  days  very  pleasant 
ly  at  the  Springs,  where  they  met  a  number  of  New- 
York  acquaintances,  and  others  from  the  far-south, 
and  added  some  names  to  their  list  of  friendships, 
which  will  be  remembered  with  enduring  pleasure 
in  their  reminiscences  of  their  JULY  TOUR. 

While  they  were  thus  pleasantly  enjoying  them 
selves  at  this  delightful  watering  place,  the  writer 
left  them  for  a  hasty  trip  to  Niagara,  the  other  mem 
bers  of  the  party  having  visited  the  falls  the  prece 
ding  summer.  A  rapid  passage,  with  occasional 
delays  of  a  few  hours  for  observation  on  the  way, 
brought  the  writer  to  Buffalo,  which,  after  a  few 
hours  stay,  he  left  for  Niagara. 

NIAGARA  !  It  is  as  one  leaves  Buffalo,  that  he  feels 
himself  indeed  on  his  way  to  the  profoundest  curio 
sity  of  a  world.  He  may  before  have  thought  of 
Niagara,  and  read  of  it,  and  wished  and  expected 
at  some  future  day  to  see  it,  But  he  now  feels  that 
he  is  indeed  approaching  it,  that  it  is  near  at  hand. 
His  heart  almost  beats  with  double  gushes  as  he 
leaves  the  dock  at  Buffalo,  and  finds  the  prow  of 
his  boat  pointing  towards  NIAGARA.  So  I  felt.  Ob 
jects  many  and  curious  had  passed  under  my  review ; 


12         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

but  they  are  not  to  be  recorded  here,  as  having 
occurred  within  the  time  allotted  to  the  incidents 
narrated  in  this  volume.  Many  treasured  associa 
tions  had  been  located  in  the  memory  for  future 
reminiscence.  Friendships  had  been  formed,  which 
on  my  future  course  I  trusted  should  light  up  with 
a  new  beam  of  enjoyment  the  shaded  path  of  one's 
pilgrimage  of  earth.  But  all  these  associations, 
for  the  time,  were  forgotten,  while  we  glided 
over  the  blue-green  waters  of  the  river  Niagara, 
borne  on  by  the  rapid  tide  and  steam  at  the  rate  of 
twenty  miles  the  hour.  Soon  I  caught  a  glimpse 
of  a  curling  cloud  in  the  northwest,  rising  in 
elongated  and  spiral  colums  above  the  forest,  which 
crowned  the  shores  of  Canada  and  the  American 
high  grounds,  as  we  sailed  around  in  the  eastern 
channel  of  Grand  Island.  We  landed  at  Schlosser, 
two  miles  from  the  falls,  and  took  a  post-coach  to 
the  hotel,  which  is  located  on  the  American  side, 
and  shaken  by  day  and  by  night  by  the  eternal  tide 
of  waters,  rolling  down  their  thundering  cataract  a 
few  rods  in  the  rear  of  its  doors. 

It  wanted  a  few  minutes  of  three  o'clock  when 
we  rose  from  the  dinner-table.  The  day  was  plea 
sant,  and  the  sun  was  shining  with  his  brightest 
beam.  I  determined  to  take  my  first  view  of  the 
falls. 

It  has  been  made  a  matter  of  some  speculation 
with  minds  equally  familiar  with  the  beauties  and 


ELLA   V.,   OR   THE   JULY   TOUR. 

the  sublimities  of  the  different  views  of  the  falls,  whe 
ther  the  final  impression  upon  one's  mind  as  a  whole 
will  be  the  most  agreeable  and  deep  if  he  takes  his 
first  view  from  the  British  or  from  the  American 
side.  Some  affirm  the  one,  some  the  other.  Un 
able  to  decide  for  myself  as  to  the  better  course, 
I  determined  that  I  would  gain  my  first  view  from 
neither  side.  Consequently  I  should  have  to  take  a 
boat  to  accomplish  my  purpose,  and,  midway  across 
the  river,  below  the  falls,  make  my  observation. 
Accordingly,  I  started  from  the  hotel  alone.  I  pursu 
ed  my  way  by  the  staircase,  winding  down  the  per 
pendicular  descent  to  the  edge  of  the  river,  be 
tween  one  and  two  hundred  feet,  to  the  ferry,  where 
the  small  boat  is  always  in  readiness  to  convey 
passengers  across  to  the  British  shore.  When 
two-thirds  of  the  way  down  this  covered  staircase, 
you  come  to  an  open  point  of  ground,  adjacent  to 
the  northern  edge  of  the  fall.  Here  the  tremendous 
roaring  of  the  American  sheet  of  water,  tumbling  in 
its  sublimity  near  you,  tempts  the  passer-by  to  lift 
his  eye.  At  this  moment  he  sees  an  oval  column 
of  water,  one  third  the  width  of  the  entire  sheet, 
plunging  down  a  perpendicular  descent  of  a  hun 
dred  and  sixty-five  feet,  dashing  up  its  clouds  of 
dense  mists  from  the  caverns  of  rocks,  into  which 
the  eternal  tide  rolls  its  exhaustless  waters.  The 
tremendous  sound  of  the  cataract,  with  the  glimpse 
of  the  arched  column  of  water  thundering  at  your 
2 


14)  ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY   TOUR. 

side,  heightens  your  imagination,  and  tends  every 
moment  to  increase  your  sympathies  to  relish  the 
full  view  of  the  extended  rampart  of  waters,  which 
is  soon  to  spread  itself  before  you. 

From  this  position,  without  pausing,  I  descend 
ed  to  the  boat,  amid  the  ceaseless  roar  of  the  cata 
ract  and  the  tremblings  of  the  earthquake,  which 
here  has  no  respite  to  its  convulsions.  Scarcely 
had  I  adjusted  myself  in  my  seat  in  the  boat,  be 
fore  I  found  myself  in  a  central  position  of  the  river. 
I  turned  my  face  full  in  view  of  the  extended  cata 
ract.  The  island  in  the  centre  of  the  river,  which, 
with  its  perpendicular  front  of  a  hundred  and  sixty 
feet  above  you  divides  the  cataract  into  two  falls, 
the  one  on  its  right  the  other  on  its  left,  was  now 
seen  through  the  mists,  crested  with  its  forest-trees. 
The  boatman,  for  a  moment,  lay  upon  his  oars. 
There  it  was,  in  its  grandeur,  in  its  sublimity,  in  its 
thunder.  But  what  was  it  like  1  Earth  had  not 
its  emblem.  Had  heaven  ^  I  thought  it  had.  The 
island  seemed  to  be  moving  forward  in  its  majesty 
and  terror  through  the  mists,  as  if  it  were  the  AN 
GEL  OF  THE  ALMIGHTY,  flanked  by  his  wings  of  light, 
and  uttering  his  messages  of  thunder  in  a  voice 
of  many  waters  !  I  took  a  breath  ;  and  with  the 
idea  deep  in  my  soul,  I  covered  my  face  from  the 
mists  which  were  driving  over  us,  and  reached  the 
British  shore. 

Having  stepped  my  foot  on  the  Canada  side,  I 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         15 

paused  on  the  rocks  to  reassure  me  of  the  reality 
of  what  I  had  seen,  from  the  centre  of  the  river.  It 
was  there  ;  and  rolling  on  in  its  undiminished 
grandeur  !  As  I  gazed,  I  twice  detected  a  feeling 
of  alarm  lest  the  waters  should  cease  their  flow. 
But,  thank  God,  they  rolled  on — they  rolled  on, — 
and  shall  roll  on  till  the  final  catastrophe ! 

Gradually  I  took  my  way  up  the  winding  road, 
which  leads  to  the  top  of  the  heights  on  the  Canada 
side.  At  intervals,  however,  as  I  passed  upwards, 
I  paused  to  gain  the  different  views  from  different 
positions  as  I  advanced  up  the  hill,  and  more 
particularly  to  analyze  the  sound,  which  broke 
upon  the  ear  from  the  opposite  American  fall, 
and  held  the  soul  in  profoundest  admiration  and 
delight. 

In  most  descriptions  of  Niagara  the  sound  of 
the  cataract  has  been  resembled  to  thunder.  I  could 
not  trace  this  resemblance,  in  any  one  position  in 
which  I  \vas  placed.  In  a  different  state  of  atmos 
phere  perhaps  the  sound  of  thunder  may  be  heard, 
but  I  presume  this  resemblance  will  be  found  to 
exist,  only  as  to  the  loudness  of  the  cataract. 
Midway  up  the  hill  I  paused.  At  this  point,  five 
dissimilar  sounds  were  distinctly  to  be  heard,  as 
they  were  echoed  in  deafening  roar  from  the  Ame 
rican  side.  The  first,  commencing  with  the  nor 
thern  edge  of  the  American  fall,  resembled  the 
dashing  of  water  over  a  mill-dam,  although  as  much 


16          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

louder  as  a  peal  of  thunder  exceeds  the  roar  of  a 
single  cannon.  The  second  sound  is  like  the 
quick  and  successive  strokes  of  the  clapper  of  a  grist 
mill.  The  third  is  like  the  grumbling  sound  of  the 
whirling  millstone.  The  fourth  is  strikingly  like 
the  gurgling  roar  produced  by  the  action  of  steam 
upon  water,  when  let  off  from  the  boiler  of  a 
steamboat  through  the  side  of  the  vessel  into  the 
water.  The  fifth  sound  held  me  in  amazement. 
I  could  find  no  resemblance,  but  it  awed  the  soul, 
and  spell-bound  you  to  the  spot,  as  if  some  un 
earthly  voice  had  issued  forth  in  a  deep,  cavernous 
and  sepulchral  cadence.  I  left  the  phenomenon 
unsolved.  Delighted,  and  yet  unsatisfied,  while 
this  last  and  unearthly  roar  of  waters  fell  on  my  ear 
without  finding  its  resemblance,  I  reached  the  top 
of  the  heights,  and  again  gazed  full  on  the  enchant 
ing,  thrilling  and  overawing  scene  that  lay  before 
me. 

By  the  time  I  had  gained  this  eminence,  I  felt 
sufficiently  fatigued  to  find  a  seat  within  the  piazza 
of  a  little  cottage,  situated  on  the  top  of  the  hill, 
to  be  a  very  agreeable  resting  place.  The  loca 
tion  of  this  little  rustic  habitation  gives  one  a  com 
plete  view  of  the  falls.  The  cottage  itself  is  fitted 
up  in  the  most  fantastic  of  rural  style.  Here,  on 
a  settee  of  unbarked  elm-boughs,  bent  into  the  atti 
tude  of  a  sofa,  one  may  regale  himself  with  as  many 
cold  ice-creams  and  hot  cream-cakes  as  prudence 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          17 

will  allow,  in  full  view  of  the  magnificent  scene 
of  Niagara  before  him. 

Refreshed  and  rested,  I  renewed  my  course 
for  Table-Rock,  distant  three-quarters  of  a  mile. 
While  advancing  to  this  point,  you  have  the  falls 
continually  in  view,  but  in  different  aspects  from 
different  points  of  your  walk,  until  you  gain  the  po 
sition  in  front  of  the  museum,  a  sequestered  and 
solitary  building,  when  you  again  see  the  flanked 
Jlngel,  with  his  \vings  of  light,  advancing  forth 
amid  the  roar  of  cataracts  and  the  glories  of  a  felt 
and  acknowledged  Deity. 

One's  next  position  is  on  the  Table-Rock,  near 
the  northern  edge  of  the  British  side  of  the  falls. 
Here,  before  you,  and  between  yourself  and  the 
island,  which  with  its  perpendicular  front  divides 
the  whole  cataract  into  two  falls,  you  have  the 
nearest  and  most  distinct  view  of  the  immense 
sheet  of  water  on  the  British  part  of  the  river,  called 
the  horse-shoe,  or  crescent  fall.  It  tumbles,  a  lit 
eral  ocean,  down  a  precipice  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty-eight  feet.  You  stand  in  front  of  it,  an  ad 
miring  and  entranced  gazer.  If  you  ask  what  it 
is  like,  you  reply  that  there  is  but  one  Niagara 
in  the  world,  and  you  cannot  find  its  resem 
blance.  The  extended  sea  before  you,  as  it  urges 
on  to  its  fatal  plunge,  is  of  a  deep  emerald- 
green.  The  current  has  raised  it  into  the  commo 
tion  of  a  tumultuous  ocean,  lashed  by  a  storm  at 
2* 


18          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

sea  5  and  the  emerald-billows,  crested  with  their 
wrathful  foam,  plunge  in  continued  columns  down 
the  tremendous  abyss.  You  gaze,  and  the  tide  still 
rolls  on.  You  gaze,  and  the  emerald-ocean  still 
plunges  down  the  insatiable  gulf.  The  foam  boils 
in  the  caldron  below,  as  if  it  were  a  river  of  crys 
tal  cascades,  and  the  volumes  of  dense  mists  rise 
in  fleecy  clouds  high  above  the  rocky  ramparts  of 
the  thundering  ravine. 

On  the  other  flank  of  the  central  island,  which 
fronts  you,  the  river  being  cut  obliquely  by  the 
whole  fall,  and  at  your  left,  as  you  stand  on  Table- 
Rock,  you  hear  the  roar  of  the  American  sheet  of 
the  cataract,  blending  its  voice  of  waters  with  the 
thunderings  of  the  tumbling  ocean,  that  ingulfs 
itself  beneath  your  feet.  The  view  of  the  grand 
whole,  is  now  before  you  and  complete.  You  take 
it  in  at  a  glance.  You  are  a  speck  amid  the  subli 
mity  of  the  surrounding  scene.  You  feel  that  you 
could  fall  and  adore  it !  But  you  stand  and  gaze, 
arid  exclaim,  Beautiful!  beautiful!  You  stand,  and 
again  you  gaze,  and  exclaim,  Sublime  !  sublime  ! 
You  stand,  and  again  you  gaze,  but  do  not  exclaim, 

yet    THINK    OF    JUDGMENT,    OF    ETERNITY,    OF    GoD  ! 

The  morning  which  succeeded  my  afternoon  visit 
to  the  Canada  side,  Irecrossedfrom  my  lodgings 
on  the  American  shore,  with  the  design  of  entering 
under  the  sheet  of  water  which  constitutes  the 
horse-shoe,  or  crescent  fall. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          19 

It  had  been  my  good  fortune  to  be  thrown  into 
the  agreeable  company  of  a  Boston  party,  who 
were  then  at  the  falls.  One  of  the  ladies  possessed 
a  character  of  romance  and  spirit,  and  a  delicacy 
of  perception  that  sensitively  appreciated  the  beau 
tiful  and  the  sublime.  She  was  as  fragile  as  a  lily, 
and  in  delicate  health,  and  yet,  she  was  as  fleet  as 
the  antelope  and  courageous  as  a  warrior.  She 
would  cull  rosemary  from  over  the  edge  of  Table- 
Rock  ;  stand,  not  without  emotion,  but  without  fear, 
on  the  trembling  terrapin-bridge  projecting  over  the 
falls,  and  gaze  from  it  upon  the  rolling  waters  that 
plunged  down  in  their  terror,  with  their  tremendous 
avalanches,  and  yet  smile  upon  the  emerald-green 
billow  as  it  rolled  by  as  a  thing  on  which  she 
would  love  to  have  laid  her  gentle  cheek.  And 
this  lady  would  enter  beneath  the  sheet  of  wraters, 
that  poured  their  ocean-flood  down  the  crescent 
fall. 

Having  arranged  our  dresses  for  the  adventure, 
I  gave  her  my  hand  at  the  foot  of  the  staircase, 
which  winds  down  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  to  the 
base  of  Table-Rock.  Her  younger  friend,  with  a 
full  and  fair  and  rosy  cheek,  accompanied  us,  with 
her  guardian  as  her  attendant.  "Are  you  readyl" 
asked  the  guide,  and  then  we  plunged  into  the 
mists  beneath  the  tumbling  sheet  of  waters ;  and 
buffeted  the  winds,  and  the  spray,  and  the  storm, 
which  contended,  with  all  their  opposing  forces, 


20  ELLA    V.,    OR    THE    JULY    TOUR. 

against  our  advance.  But  we  dashed  on  in  our 
dark  path  ;  now  losing  sight  of  our  guide,  but  a 
few  paces  ahead  of  us,  our  breath  being  literally 
blown  out  of  our  bodies  by  the  gale  that  drove  its 
currents  of  water  pitilessly  into  our  faces.  I  paus 
ed,  exhausted  ;  and  as  soon  as  I  could  gather  short 
sentences  enough  to  express  the  propriety  of  return 
ing,  "  Guide,"  added  the  lady,  "can  we  go  farther!" 
"  No  farther,  no  farther,"  was  the  reply.  "  Then 
let  us  return,"  said  the  heroine ;  and  we  found 
our  passage  back  facilitated  and  easy,  urged  on  as 
we  were  by  the  driving  winds  at  our  backs.  Our 
friends,  who  started  with  us,  had  long  before  retreat- 
ed?  arid  had  advanced  but  half  way  into  the  terrific 
passage  traced  by  the  heroine  whom  I  escorted. 
It  was  a  fete  which  might  have  shaken  the  nerves 
of  a  Trojan,  when  facing  for  the  first  time  the  dark 
and  misty  and  tempestuous  sublimities  of  this  ca 
vern  of  storms.  "  Lady, "  said  the  guide,  before 
we  entered,  "  if  you  are  not  courageous  you  had 
better  not  attempt  it."  And  on  my  return  to  the 
passage  to  re-examine  it,  the  guide  was  conducting 
a  huge-boned,  strong-set  man,  and  on  my  proposing 
to  take  the  lead,  "  No,  sir,  no,  sir,"  said  the  guide, 
"  keep  behind,  to  prevent  this  gentleman  from 
running  back." 

The  sublimity  of  the  scene,  under  this  sheet  of 
water,  pouring  down  the  crescent  fall,  and  the  ex 
citement  which  must  always  attend  one's  fit st  en- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         21 

trance  by  a  shelving  and  somewhat  slippery  path, 
through  dense  mists  and  a  continued  storm  of  wind 
which  drives  the  currents  of  water  into  one's  face, 
exhausting  one's  breath  and  strength,  altogether 
surpasses  what  I  had  previously  conceived  5  and 
it  should  be  particularly  described  to  the  individual 
before  he  enters,  that  he  may  expect  it.  It  is  said, 
and  I  can  readily  believe  it  to  be  true,  that  a  lady, 
through  fear,  fainted  beneath  this  sheet  of  water, 
after  having  proceeded  but  a  short  distance  along 
this  passage  of  mists  and  storms.  The  path  leads 
in  alongside  the  mountain-rock,  which  overhangs 
one's  head  a  hundred  and  more  feet,  and  from  the 
outer  edge  of  the  narrow  path,  quite  the  whole  dis 
tance  of  the  passage,  the  loose  pieces  of  rock  which 
have  fallen  in  scales  from  above  you,  slope  down 
with  a  fearful  slant  of  some  forty  feet  to  the  wa 
ter's  edge,  where  the  boiling  caldron  is  some  hun 
dreds  of  feet  deep.  And  yet  the  winds,  created  by 
the  current  of  the  ocean  of  waters  continually  fall 
ing  from  above,  blow  against  you  so  furiously, 
that  they  pin  you  to  the  side  of  the  overhanging 
bulwark,  which  forms  the  rocky  Atlas  to  support 
the  weight  of  the  superincumbent  sea.  It  is  thus 
that  the  gale  saves  the  adventurer  from  what  would 
otherwise  be  an  inevitable  plunge  into  the  whirling 
gulf  below. 

The  same  day,  after  I  had  entered  beneath  the 
sheet  of  water  which  tumbles    over  the    crescent 


22          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

fall,  I  took  a  guide  to  pass  over  the  grounds,  which 
are  usually  visited  as  points  of  observation,  on  the 
American  side. 

Besides  the  large  central  island  which  divides 
the  cataract  into  what  are  known  as  the  American 
and  the  British  sides,  the  American  sheet  of  water 
is  again  divided  by  a  small  island,  which  is  near 
the  central  island,  and  leaves  a  narrow  sheet  of  wa 
ter  to  pass  between  the  two,  called  the  central  fall. 
The  water,  though  immense,  which  rushes  through 
this  narrow  pass,  is  yet  less  than  a  sixteenth  part 
of  the  American  sheet. 

When  I  was  on  the  Canadian  shore,  taking  my 
first  views  of  the  cataract,  it  was  this  lesser 
sheet  of  water,  or  the  central  fall,  with  which  I  had 
identified  the  deep,  terrific,  and  subterraneous 
sound,  which  left  its  rumbling  and  sepulchral  tones 
impressed  upon  the  soul  of  the  enchained  and 
admiring  listener.  The  same  identified  rumbling 
cadence  of  waters  was  now  heard  beneath  my  feet,  as 
I  stood  upon  the  trunk  of  a  felled  tree,  which  forms 
the  little  bridge  between  the  two  islands.  From  this 
position,  with  the  intention  of  going  beneath  the 
immediate  spot  where  I  was  then  standing,  I  pur 
sued  my  way  to  Biddle's  staircase,  which  one  de 
scends  by  spiral  steps  to  the  foot  of  the  rock, 
constituting  the  perpendicular  front  of  the  central 
island,  and  which  divides  the  American  from  the 
crescent  or  British  fall.  From  the  foot  of  the  steps, 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         23 

turning  to  the  right,  I  pursued  the  path  under  the 
rock  to  a  point  which  was  directly  beneath  the  top 
of  the  central  fall,  which  I  had  left  but  a  few  mo 
ments  before.  Here  I  paused.  It  was  at  the  mouth 
of  the  cave  of  the  winds. 

The  rain  had  been  descending  during  the  morn 
ing,  and  the  mists,  as  is  usual  after  a  storm,  were 
now  rising  in  denser  clouds  from  the  abyss.  The  sun 
was  two  hours  above  the  hills,  and  throwing  his  full 
beams  across  from  the  Canada  side  into  the  misty 
opening  of  the  cave.  The  southwest  wind  was  blow 
ing  with  tremendous  force  directly  into  the  cavern, 
over  the  mouth  of  which,  as  a  defying  barrier,  the 
curved  sheet  of  the  fall  poured  down  its  eternal 
avalanche,  amid  the  tremblings  of  the  earthquake, 
and  a  grumbling  and  cavernous  roaring,  in  compar 
ison  with  which  distant  thunders  are  but  the  breath 
ings  of  a  sleeping  infant.  The  small  flat  rock  on 
which  I  stood  abruptly  ends  the  path,  from  which 
one  looks  down  into  a  deep  below,  which  extends 
its  waters  far  back  into  the  cavernous  rock,  down 
from  the  brow  of  which  these  ceaseless  currents 
flow.  Here,  the  mystery  was  solved.  And  here 
I  met  the  spectacle  which  surpassed  all  that  I  had 
yet  beheld.  The  deep,  rumbling,  subterraneous 
sound,  which  sunk  heavily  with  its  sublime  impres 
sions  on  the  spirit  as  I  listened  on  the  opposite  shore, 
was  now  fully  solved.  It  came,  with  its  sepulchral 
echoes  and  subterraneous  reverberations,  from  the 


24<          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

mouth  of  the  concealed  cavern,  at  the  entrance 
of  which  I  was  now  standing.  The  cataract,  pour 
ing  down  its  tide  from  above,  and  plunging  upon 
the  dimly  discovered  rocks  beneath,  carried  with  it 
a  current  of  wind,  at  this  moment  augmented  by  the 
southwest,  into  the  dark  and  yawning  passage.  All 
other  sounds  were  swallowed  up  by  its  sepulchral 
tones,  as  they  roared  in  distinguishable  thunders 
above  all  other  noises  of  the  two  larger  cataracts. 
I  placed  my  head  around  the  point  of  rock  to  look 
within  the  yawning  cavern,  now  rendered  doubly 
frightful  by  the  clouds  of  mist,  which  the  ceaseless 
currents  of  wind  bore  into  the  reverberating  recess 
es.  My  soul  was  already  up  to  the  pitch  of  emotion 
where  I  could  have  fallen  and  adored  the  sublime. 
I  shuddered  at  the  terrific  scene.  It  was  the  only 
place  where  I  had  trembled.  But  while  I  gazed  in 
terror,  my  eye  fell  entranced  upon  a  bow  of  peace, 
which  now  vividly  encircled  itself  on  the  whirling 
mists,  as  they  sailed  in  troubled  clouds  into  the 
dark  recess.  What  could  add  to  the  scene  1  The  bow 
crowned  the  head  of  the  most  fearful  personification 
of  the  sublime  which  this  world  affords.  It  inlaid 
itself  around  the  edge  of  the  expanded  cavity,  form 
ing  a  perfect  circle,  with  but  a  small  break  at  my 
feet.  I  gazed  in  profoundest  awe,  while  the  winds 
were  driving  their  streams  of  waters  in  one  un- 
abating  storm  against  me.  And  still  I  gazed.  It 
seemed  as  if  the  GOD  OF  WRATH  WERE  SMILING 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         25 

THROUGH  HIS  BOW  OF  PROMISE.  I  turned  with  a  shud 
der  from  the  scene  ;  but,  ere  I  left  for  ever,  I  rushed 
back  once  more  to  look,  to  fear,  to  adore  ! 

From  the  cave  of  the  winds,  classically  called 
JEolus1  Cave,  I  returned  towards  Biddle's  staircase, 
and  passing  it,  advanced  forwards  beneath  the  rock, 
to  examine  the  American  side  of  the  crescent  fall. 
But  the  southwest  wind  was  blowing  so  heavily, 
the  spray  which  it  dashed  against  me  would  not 
permit  a  near  approach  to  the  edge  of  the  crescent 
sheet.  Returning,  I  ascended  the  staircase,  and, 
above,  wound  my  way  to  the  terrapin-bridge,  which 
extends  three  hundred  feet  out  from  central  island, 
and  projects  ten  feet  over  the  crescent  fall.  Here  I 
stood  for  a  few  moments — met  a  number  of  friends — 
said  a  few  words — and  expecting  again  to  return  to 
this  position,  which  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  the 
best  view  of  the  whole  cataract,  I  hastily  entered 
the  tower,  which  stands  a  few  feet  distant  from 
the  bridge.  The  appearance  of  rain,  and  the  hour 
of  sunset  being  near,  induced  me,  without  delay, 
to  wind  my  course  around  the  island — passed  the 
residence  of  the  hermit,  poor  fellow,  who  one  day 
was  found  drowned  below  the  falls — and  at  length 
reached  the  hotel  in  a  shower  of  rain,  almost  equal 
to  the  peltings  of  the  merciless  currents  of  water 
under  the  crescent  fall. 

Shall  I  say  it  1  I  went  not  again  to  the  ter 
rapin-bridge.  And  to  speak  about  what  I  examined 
3 


26 

not  with  that  particularity  by  which  I  was  to  gain 
definite  feelings,  would  not  be  more  in  taste  than 
was  my  sudden  departure  from  Niagara  the  suc 
ceeding  morning,  contrary  to  my  previous  purpose 
of  spending  two  days  longer  in  delightful  commu 
nion  with  these  scenes,  amid  which  one  must  be 
far  sunken  in  degradation  if  he  is  not  rendered  a 
devouter  worshipper  of  his  God. 

"  Well,  Jerry,"  I  asked  at  the  tea-table,  "  what 
were  your  impressions,  on  the  Table-Rockl" 

Jerry  was  a  new  acquaintance,  among  those  I 
had  formed  after  leaving  Saratoga,  and  who  loved 
life  for  its  bright  things  and  smiling  faces. 

"Why,"  said  he,  "[believe,  for  once  in  my 
life,  I  felt  quite  happy ;  and,  may  be,  if  for  nothing 
else  than  for  mere  oddity's  sake,  I  had  a  spice  of 
your  devotion,  and,  like  Pope,  who  was  devo 
tional  only  in  some  of  his  poetic  hours,  I  might 
have  been  disposed  to  look 

'  Through  nature  up  to  nature's  God.' 

But  the  prevailing  idea  in  my  mind  while  gazing  on 
the  crescent  fall,  was,  that  we  ought  to  fight  for  it. 
England  has  no  right  to  half  of  what  is  so  wholly 
American.  And  if  I  should  ever  be  engaged  in 
running  boundary  lines  between  the  two  nations, 
(a  thing  you  know  not  quite  impossible  since  I  am 
a  Jackson-Van  Buren  man,)  I  would  make  it  a  sine 
qua  non  of  opening  the  negotiation,  that  the  cres- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         27 

cent  fall  should  be  included  within  the  boundary 
of  Uncle  Sam's  lands." 

"  Well,  Jerry,"  said  Fritz,  another  new  ac 
quaintance,  "  as  I  stood  upon  the  Canada  shore,  I 
could  not  divest  myself  of  the  idea  of  the  embattled 
armies  of  England  and  America  arrayed  the  one 
against  the  other.  How  calm,  how  confident,  how 
self-possessed  I  thought  the  American  sheet  spread 
out  its  wider  and  higher  and  brighter  and  untar 
nished  front.  But  it  seemed  like  American  infantry, 
compared  with  English  artillery.  The  crescent  fall 
is  heavier,  immensely,  in  the  body  of  water  that 
rolls  down  in  solid  phalanxes  to  the  terrible  con 
flict  below.  But  I  thought  of  Erie,  Champlain,  and 
New-Orleans,  and  what  were  numbers,  or  weight 
of  artillery  \  There  was  a  secret  on  the  American 
shore,  where,  after  all,  lay  concealed  the  greatest 
sublimity  and  terrific  power.  I  thought  of  the 
subterranean  passage  of  the  winds.  And  I  felt  and 
I  knew  that  the  undeveloped  power  of  the  Ameri 
can  land  would  not  yield— could  not  yield — to 
any  other  in  sublimity,  in  energy,  in  prowess." 

"  And  I,"  said  the  enthusiastic  heroine,  whom 
I  had  accompanied  under  the  crescent  fall,  and 
with  her  eye  turned  almost  wickedly  on  Jerry, 
"  felt  vexed  enough  this  morning  to  have  shoved  a 
hugely  sensitive  gentleman  from  the  Table-Rock, 
had  I  been  favoured  with  assistance,  who  was  there 
cracking  almonds,  in  front  of  Niagara  /" 


28          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

"  Mercy  for  him  !"  exclaimed  Jerry,  "  mercy 
for  him!  He  doubtless  was  some  one  of  the  Brit 
ish-side  boarders  at  the  pavilion.  I  happened  to 
be  there,  this  morning,  at  breakfast,  by  invitation 
of  a  friend  ;  and  neither  money  nor  love  could 
secure  more  than  one  cup  of  coffee,  and  no  bread 
nor  butter.  The  captain-landlord,  with  his  white 
gloves  on,  sauntered  into  the  room  after  the  break 
fast  table  was  being  removed,  and  swore,  by  old 
England  and  all  the  Canadas,  that  the  fault  was  the 
cook's.  He  called  the  cook  into  the  room,  and 
with  his  unblacked  boots,  kicked  this  marvellously 
unwashed  professor  of  the  kitchen-science  three 
times  around  the  room,  and  four  times  across  it. 
The  thing  had  gone  offtolerably  well,  had  not  one  of 
the  other  waiters  let  out  an  immaterial  fact,  that  the 
landlord  had  previously  feed  the  cook  with  a 
dollar,  to  submit  to  the  indignity  of  being  booted 
by  his  master. " 

"  Forgive  him,  forgive  him  !"  was  the  general 
appeal  to  the  lady,  in  compassion  for  the  un~ 
breakfasted  almond-cracker^  on  Table-Eock. 

"Well,  well,"  said  the  heroine,  "we  will  for 
give  him.  But  had  it  been  myself,  I  should  have 
thought  that  I  was  about  being  petrified  into  one 
of  the  many  favasites,  so  abundantly  found  among 
the  organic  remains  of  this  limestone  formation." 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         29 


SECTION    III. 

ON  the  morning  after  my  return  from  the  Falls 
to  Saratoga,  two  extra  coaches  were  seen  at  the 
door  of  Congress  Hall.  In  a  few  moments  more  they 
were  on  their  way  to  Lake  George.  Our  party  occu 
pied  one  of  them.  We  paused  a  short  time  at  Glenn 
Falls,  as  do  others  when  they  have  not  been  over  the 
route  before,  and  recalled  the  associations  connected 
with  romance  and  history,  which  have  identified 
the  grounds  in  the  neighbourhood  with  warlike 
and  bloody  doings. 

Mr.  F.,  with  little  Rosa  E.  by  the  hand,  was  seen 
on  one  point  of  the  rocks,  near  a  position  where 
Ella  V.  and  Mrs.  E.  had  climbed,  and  others  were 
scattered  at  the  different  points  of  observation,  as 
they  were  severally  attracted  by  the  caves  in  the 
limestone,  or  the  tumbling  of  the  amber-coloured 
waters  as  they  rush  down  the  rocky  and  narrow 
ravines,  which  they  have  cut  through  the  limestone 
strata  over  which  they  are  ceaselessly  flowing.  On 
their  return,  they  gathered  from  the  crevices  of  the 
rocks  the  beautiful  blue-bells,  so  characterized  for 
their  love  of  the  waterfall  and  limestone  crags. 

There  is  a  golden  chain  by  which  nature  has 
bound  all  her  works  together,  showing  that  the 
3* 


30          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

Creator  of  one  part  of  this  world  is  the  Author  of 
the  other.  The  eye  is  made  for  light,  and  light  is 
made  for  the  eye  ;  the  lungs  for  the  air,  and  air  for 
the  lungs ;  the  wing  of  the  bird  to  cut  the  aerial 
liquid,  and  the  liquid  atmosphere  to  buoy  up  the 
pliant  wing  of  the  bird.  And  that  golden  chain,  that 
binds  man  to  all  nature,  is  sympathy.  He  looks 
at  the  mountain,  and  it  awakens  in  his  bosom  an 
emotion  he  calls  the  sublime,  and  it  makes  him  hap 
py.  He  looks  over  an  extensive  plain  varied  by 
cultivated  fields  and  forest  tracts,  and  village  and 
rivulet  winding  through  verdant  meadows  or  round 
woodland  acclivities,  and  he  calls  it  beautiful,  be 
cause  it  excites  within  him,  as  he  gazes  upon  it,  a 
feeling  of  his  bosom  which  he  denominates  the  beau 
tiful  in  emotion.  And  God  has  so  arranged  his  con 
stitution  and  external  nature,  that  such  shall  be  the 
sympathetic  impression  of  the  silent  language  of  in 
animate  nature  upon  the  feelings  of  his  sensitive  and 
rational  creatures.  And  it  shows  the  benevolence 
of  the  God  of  nature  that  such  is  the  constitution 
of  things. 

This  was  the  substance  of  the  conversation  of 
our  party  the  evening  after  we  had  sailed  up  the 
beautiful  Lake  George,  and  enjoyed  the  scenery  of 
its  enchanting  mountains,  and  fairy  isles,  and  stilly 
waters,  which  this  day  had  slept  as  unrippled  as  if 
no  agitating  gust  had  ever  disturbed  the  quiet  of 
their  unruffled  bosom. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         31 

The  party  had  been  over  the  grounds  memora 
ble  for  the  battles  fought  upon  them,  and  the  sacri 
fice  of  blood  in  the  border-war,  when  France  and 
England  arrayed  their  banners  in  hostile  display, 
and  savages  joined  in  the  fray  to  receive  their 
rewards  for  the  white  man's  scalp  in  the  plunder  of 
the  colonist.  The  olden  forts  were  visited ;  Ticonde- 
roga  at  one  end  of  the  lake,  and  forts  William  Henry 
and  George  at  the  other.  Two  leaden  bullets  were 
found  in  the  field  by  Miss  V.  incrusted  with  the 
oxide  of  years ;  and  the  day  had  passed  off  with 
many  a  gleeful  remark  of  Le  Roy's,  and  amid  the 
good  cheer  of  a  colloquial  party  of  pleasure, 
who  were  alive  to  the  beauties  of  nature,  to  the 
recollections  of  olden  historic  associations,  and 
the  repartee  and  the  jeu  d'esprit  of  those  who 
sought  to  render  the  passage  of  time  like  the  flight 
of  the  carrier  pigeon,  that  bears  to  a  lady-love  the 
message  of  her  devoted. 

The  sun  had  fallen  beneath  the  high  hills  on 
the  western  side  of  the  lake,  and  the  mellow  mo 
ment  that  succeeded  it  threw  its  enchantment  over 
the  scene  in  front  of  the  lake  house.  The  sha 
dows  of  the  mountains  had  elongated  themselves 
into  the  lake,  while  a  straggling  cloud  far  up  in 
the  heavens  yet  retained  its  gold  and  purple,  while 
it  watched  from  its  high  throne  the  receding  cha 
riot  wheels  of  the  god  of  day. 

"  All's  ready,"  cried  Le  Roy,  from  the  edge  of 


32          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

the  lake  ;  and  the  party  were  soon  seated  in  a 
small  boat,  with  a  bugleman  at  the  bow,  for  a 
twilight-sail  on  the  lake,  to  hear  the  reverberating 
echoes  as  they  go  the  round  from  hill  to  hill,  while 
the  bugle-player  sends  forth  his  notes  over  the 
bosom  of  the  enchanted  waters.  We  had  shot  out 
a  distance  from  the  shore  j — the  boatmen  lay  upon 
their  oars  j — the  bugle  broke  the  stillness  of  the 
spell-bound  scene. 

"  Good  God !"  exclaimed  Le  R.,  as  the  echo 
bounded  from  mountain  to  mountain,  with  its  ca 
dence  five  times  repeated,  while  the  bugleman  rested 
at  the  end  of  each  bar  of  the  tune  he  was  playing. 

"  Glorious  !  glorissima !"  said  a  sweet  lily-cheek 
lady,  who  had  been  characterized  for  her  little 
speaking  in  the  party,  but  who  had  studied  Latin  ; 
while  Ella  V.  sat  with  her  hands  clasped,  and  her  eye 
fixed  in  abstraction,  as  it  rested  on  the  curved  line 
which  the  high  peaks  of  the  surrounding  mountains 
described  on  the  horizon.  The  company  thought  this 
the  proper  attitude,  and  in  silence  listened  to  the 
echoes,  as  they  came  forth  like  spirit-voices  from 
the  mountains,  in  repetition  of  the  bugle-notes  that 
broke  in  the  sweet  cadence  of  their  music  on  the 
waters. 

"  How  must  the  soldier  of  the  early  wars," 
at  length  said  Mr.  F.,  "  have  been  thrilled,  as  the 
full  band  awaked  its  martial  music  amid  these  re 
verberating  hills,  with  all  the  heightening  circum- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          33 

stance  of  an  European  enemy  and  a  savage  foe 
around  them  !  And  yet,  if  a  man  could  ever  be 
brave,  while  facing  the  mouth  of  an  enemy's  can 
non,  it  seems  to  me  that  this  would  be  the  place. 
The  scene  is  in  keeping  with  the  spirit  of  glory, 
which  they  say  so  prevails  in  the  soldier's  breast." 

"  And  how  must  the  bosom  of  the  gallant 
Abercrombie  have  swelled,"  said  Ella  V.,  waking 
from  her  dream,  as  she  unconsciously  waved  her 
hand  over  the  waters,  "  when  he  saw  his  fifteen 
thousand  men  embarked  in  their  boats,  on  this  very 
sheet  of  water,  and  at  this  very  point,  for  an  attack 
on  Ticonderoga  !  It  was  a  gallant  sight,  as  their 
light  boats  skimmed  over  the  bosom  of  the  lake, 
but  they  little  dreamed  of  the  coming,  and,  to  them, 
shameful  reverse." 

The  boatmen  dipped  their  oars  again,  and  shot 
the  boat  a  few  rods  further  on  her  course,  while  the 
bugle-player  had  ceased  his  notes  during  the  inter 
val  of  conversation. 

"  Come,  now,"  said  Mrs.  E.,  "  we  must  have 
one  air  before  we  leave  this  mellow  scene.  It  is 
indeed  enchanting ;  and  the  one  who  favours  us 
shall  be  remembered  in  the  lovely  associations 
of  the  hour.  Ella,  shall  it  be  you  V 

"  No,  no,"  replied  Ella  V.,  "  nothing  but  what  is 
strictly  in  keeping  with  the  scene  shall  be  permitted 
to  mingle  in  the  future  associations  of  this  enchant 
ed  hour.  Mr.  F.  is  our  impromptu-resort ;  and 
from  some  of  his  pencillings  to  day,  which  he  was 


34}         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

so  kind  as  to  show  me,  I  am  sure  he  will  gratify  us 
with  something  that  shall  be  remembered  as  the 
Music  OF  THE  LAKE. 

Mr.  F.  was  possessed  of  a  fine  voice,  with  a  del 
icate  perception  in  adapting  his  intonation  to  the 
sense  of  the  words  without  theatrical  affectation ; 
and  as  he  never  made  apologies  when  he  could 
give  his  friends  around  him  pleasure  by  his  singing, 
he  complied  at  once  with  the  request,  as  the  boat 
men  again  lay  upon  their  oars. 

Music   OF  THE  LAKE. 

There's  music  in  the  zephyr-breeze 

That  freshens  on  the  lake, 
And  bears  wild  odours  of  the  trees 

To  greet  fair  lady's  cheek. 

There's  music  in  the  ripple-wave 

That  curls  upon  the  lake, 
As  on  the  shore,  in  sunset  rays, 

The  leaping  circlets  break. 

There's  music  in  the  echo's  voice 

That  wakes  upon  the  lake, 
As  bugle-notes,  from  hill  to  hill. 

Their  mellowed  cadence  speak. 

There's  music  of  the  mountain  side 

Seen  mirrored  in  the  lake, 
With  light  and  shade  and  deep  ravine, 

And  high  and  crested  peak. 

But  zephyr-breeze,  and  ripple-wave, 

And  echoes  of  the  lake, 
And  mountain-side  with  shade  and  light, 

And  charm  of  cloud-cap  peak, 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         35 

Their  sweetest  music  half  would  lose 

Were  friends  not  at  our  side, 
While  gently  in  our  bonnie  boat 

O'er  moon-lit  lake  we  glide. 

But  here  we've  Ella's  speaking  eye 

And  joyousness  of  heart, 
Which  charms  of  richest  harmony 

To  passing  scenes  impart. 

And  Rosa  E.,  with  lilied  cheek, 

Her  sympathy  awakes, 
As  now  the  narrow  pass  we  seek, 

Or  trace  the  distant  peaks. 

And  Georgie,  with  his  bridal-fair, 

Yields  oft  impromptu-glee, 
That  makes  us  say,  with  softened  heart, 

"  May  God  bless  both  of  ye." 

Then  onward  glide  our  bonnie  boat, 

To  course  the  moon-lit  way, 
While  here  we  treasure  many  a  thought 

To  light  another  day. 

"  Give  way,  men,"  said  Mr.  F.  after  a  moment's 
pause,  as  he  concluded  his  song,  "  the  ladies  will 
be  unable  themselves  to  gratify  us  with  music,  after 
their  return,  if  they  shall  be  much  longer  exposed 
to  this  evening  air.  Give  way,  men." 

The  bugleman  struck  up  the  "  Bonnets  of  Blue," 
and  in  a  few  moments  more,  we  were  again  tread 
ing  the  lovely  lawn  of  the  lake  house. 


36   -       ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 


SECTION  IV. 

THE  party  left  Lake  George  the  next  morning, 
on  their  return  to  Saratoga.  The  succeeding 
morning  they  were  on  their  way  to  Boston — pass 
ing  through  Lebanon,  Pittsfield,  and  Northamp 
ton,  where  they  delayed  a  day  or  two,  visiting 
several  attractive  scenes  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
this  enchanting  region  of  the  valley  of  the  Connec 
ticut. 

On  the  evening  of  their  arrival  they  strolled 
through  the  town,  and  enjoyed  the  embowered 
walks  of  this  beautiful  town.  We  entered  the 
ancient  burial  ground  of  this  place,  which  was  one 
of  the  first  settlements  on  the  banks  of  the  Con 
necticut.  Le  Roy  possessed  a  passion  and  a  readi 
ness  for  deciphering  olden  inscriptions,  and  found 
ample  opportunity  here  for  the  exercise  of  his 
facility  in  reading  almost  illegible  inscriptions  on 
the  moss-covered  tablet  and  tombstone.  We  paus 
ed  a  moment  at  the  monument  of  the  SAINTED 
BRAINERD, 

"  Where  curious  pilgrims  often  tread 
To  pay  due  honours  to  the  dead." 

The  next  morning  the  party  crossed  the  river 
and  rode  to  the  foot  of  Mount  Holyoke.  The 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         37 

barouche  ascended  the  acclivity  a  short  distance, 
when  the  party  alighted  and  wound  their  way  up  a 
steep  path  to  the  top  of  the  mountain. 

The  view  from  Mount  Holyoke  is  probably  un 
surpassed,  for  its  beauty  in  rural  landscape,  by 
any  other  in  the  country.  The  fields  of  the  plain 
below  are  richly  cultivated  ;  and  the  rectangular 
plots  checker,  with  the  various  shaded  green  of  their 
products,  the  extensive  meadows  which  spread 
themselves  on  either  side  of  the  Connecticut.  The 
river  itself  is  seen  winding  through  the  velvet  land 
scape  like  a  silver  ribbon,  bisecting  a  field  of 
green,  and  forming  at  this  point  the  great  bend  of 
this  beautiful  stream,  once  known  by  the  Indian 
name  as  "  the  river  of  pines."  Several  villages 
are  in  view  with  their  beautiful  spires,  and  white 
houses,  embowered  by  trees,  and  exhibiting  a  scene 
of  rural  loveliness  and  peace  so  characteristic  of 
New  England  quiet  and  thrift. 

A  small  wooden  house  is  the  only  building  on 
the  plain  of  the  summit  of  Mount  Holyoke,  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  visitersto  the  summit,  where 
a  few  cakes  and  a  register-book  are  the  only  things 
which  are  addressed  to  the  tastes,  mental  and  phy 
sical,  of  those  who  seek  the  height.  The  party 
here  rested  themselves,  after  the  fatigue  of  the 
ascent ;  and  Mr.  F.  possessed  himself  of  a  curi 
ous  Indian  war-club  which  the  huckster  had  ex 
posed  upon  his  stand.  It  was  roughly  carved 
from  a  piece  of  heavy  wood,  apparently  of  the 
4 


38          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

yellow  locust,  some  eighteen  or  twenty  inches  in 
length,  and  terminated  at  the  but-end  by  a  knob, 
and  so  balanced  in  its  proportions  as  to  enable  an 
athletic  arm  to  inflict  a  deadly  blow  upon  the  head. 

The  party  severally  selected  their  points  of 
preference  in  the  prospect  before  them  ;  and  Mr. 
F.  and  Miss  V.  had  been  culling  some  wild  flowers 
and  curiously  scalloped  leaves  from  the  arbutus 
and  other  running  vines  and  shrubs.  They  were 
now  seated  on  a  rock,  with  the  extensive  and  en 
chanting  prospect  before  them. 

"  There  is  a  calm  loveliness  in  this  beautiful 
view  before  us,"  observed  Miss  V.,  "and  such  scenes 
harmonize  most  sweetly  with  my  feelings,  when  I 
am  most  happy,  Do  you  not  think  the  heart  is  made 
better  by  contemplating  the  beauties  of  nature, 
which  thus  affect  it  V 

"  I  think  so,"  replied  Mr.  F.  It  is  a  species  of 
the  serene  in  emotion  which  awakes,  and  you  will 
recognise  it  as  being  originated  by  various  objects. 
Music  has  the  power,  when  the  plaintive  air  finds 
its  kindred  chord  within  the  bosom.  And  there  is 
something  like  it  on  the  still  and  solitary  wood- 
path  in  autumn,  when  your  steps  rustle  the  newly 
fallen  leaves  of  the  forest ;  and  again,  as  you  stand 
on  the  edge  of  an  expanse  of  smooth  water,  from 
whose  silver  bosom  the  shadows  of  the  trees,  which 
edge  the  banks  of  the  stream  or  lake,  are  mirrored 
back  in  their  mellowed  loveliness." 

"  I  have  felt  it,"  said  Miss  V.,  "  but  I  am  less 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          39 

accustomed  to  analyze  my  feelings  and  search  for 
their  causes  than  you  are.  And  yet,  your  idea 
must  be  equally  true  when  associated  with  the 
emotion  of  the  sublime." 

"  I  know  not  that  I  am  peculiar,"  returned  Mr. 
F.,  "but  I  have  always  been  fond  of  the  mountain. 
There  is  nothing  mean  in  it,  ever  ;  and  who  can  go 
through  the  pass  of  the  highlands  of  the  Hudson 
and  not  feel  that  there  is  majesty  and  purity  writ 
ten  on  the  grander  works  of  nature  1  The  same 
emotion  is  felt  as  one  stands  on  the  sea-shore  and 
watches  the  inrolling  of  the  green  billow,  as  it  curls 
its  crest  like  the  plume  of  some  mighty  knight, 
advancing  in  its  roar  and  foam  to  break  on  the 
beach.  The  feelings  are  not  materially  different 
in  the  two  cases,  though  the  objects  that  awaken 
them  are  as  different  as  land  is  from  ocean  and 
height  from  the  plain.  That  the  heart  is  bettered,  as 
you  suppose,  in  the  contemplation  of  those  objects 
of  nature  which  legitimately  awaken  these  feelings, 
I  have  no  doubt.  And  the  effect  would  invariably 
discover  itself,  if  there  were  no  counteracting  in 
fluences  to  destroy  the  tendencies  of  external  na 
ture  to  refine  and  elevate  the  character,  in  mellow 
ing  and  quickening  the  susceptibilities  of  the  soul. 
Indeed  I  think  that  most  of  those  qualities  we  ad 
mire  in  the  character  of  the  original  inhabitants  of 
this  country,  are  to  be  attributed  to  their  familiarity 
with  the  wild  and  beautiful  and  sublime  scenes  of 


40          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

nature,  among  which  they  roamed.  We  see  it  in 
their  eloquence,  the  metaphors  they  use — in  their 
courage,  the  bold  daring  of  their  deeds.  And  it 
is  said  ever  to  have  been  difficult  if  not  impossible 
to  conquer  a  people  whose  dwellings  have  been 
pitched  among  mountainous  regions.  The  High 
landers  of  Scotland,  and  the  Alpine  Swiss,  and,  if 
you  please,  the  New  Englanders  are  cited  as  exam 
ples,  while  the  inhabitants  of  soft  and  beautiful  Italy 
submit  to  their  chains,  in  effeminate  and  obsequious 
ease. 

"  I  am  sure  I  have  felt  an  exhilaration  of  spirits 
when  ascending  the  elevated  summits  of  moun 
tainous  regions  and  gaining  distant  prospects,  that 
made  me  feel  capable  of  all  virtuous  action,  and 
caused  me  to  resolve  on  deeds  which  I  almost  forgot 
again  when  in  the  plains  below,"  observed  Miss  V. 

"  There  doubtless  is  an  effect  upon  the  physical 
system,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  "in  the  rarefied  state  of 
the  atmosphere  of  the  mountain  heights,  which  ex 
cites  like  exhilarating  gas.  The  travellers  over  the 
Cordilleras  of  the  Andes  and  the  Alps,  remark  thus 
of  it,  though  at  too  great  heights  the  rarefication  be 
comes  painful.  And  we  even  here  feel  the  generous 
effect  of  the  pure  air,  as  it  is  often  so  called,  of  the 
mountain  ;  and  a  noble  sentiment  never  passes 
through  the  mind  without  leaving  it  something  bet 
tered,  whether  or  not  it  leads  to  action.  We  have  an 
anecdote  of  a  revolutionary  soldier,  showing  that  the 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         41 

uncultivated  as  well  as  the  refined  are  susceptible 
of  this  elevating  feeling.  He  was  stationed  among 
the  troops  at  West  Point,  and  had  climbed  to  the 
heights  overlooking  that  station ;  and  casting  his 
wide  gaze  abroad,  his  elevated  feeling,  evidently 
became  the  gauge  of  his  ascent,  as  he  extended  his 
hand  and  exclaimed,  "  Attention  the  world — by 
kingdoms — to  the  right  wheel,  forward  march !" 

"  The  soldier  at  that  moment  of  feeling,  at  least, 
must  have  been  prepared  to  lead  armies  to  the  bat 
tle,"  said  Miss  V. 

"He  was,  in  emotion  and  courage  ;  and  needed 
only  science  to  have  enabled  him  to  accomplish 
what  would  have  been  only  natural  effects  in  the 
state  of  feeling  which  he  then  was  in,  but  which 
would  have  been  far  beyond  the  capacity  of  his  usual 
powers.  And  so  of  those  noble  chieftains  who  once 
roved  these  beautiful  fields  beneath  us,  and  forests 
around  us,  and  not  only  then  called  this  wide  land 
theirs,  but  felt  that  it  was  all  their  own.  Here,  on 
this  very  spot,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  "where  we  now 
are,  an  Indian  council  once  was  held,  as  olden 
legend  says.  And  as  the  red  warrior  cast  abroad  his 
look  from  this  elevated  place  could  he  for  a  moment 
have  hesitated,  in  his  excitement  and  elevated 
feeling,  as  to  an  attack  upon  the  feeble  settlement 
of  the  colonists  he  saw  beneath  him,  which  he 
was  now  beginning  to  believe,  would  one  day  disin 
herit  him  of  his  extensive  domain!" 
4* 


42          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

"Was  there  an  Indian  council  gathered  at  this 
spot  1"  asked  Miss  V.,  as  she  rose  and  cast  her  view 
over  the  plain  of  the  summit,  presenting  a  cleared 
area  of  a  few  rods  square,  and  studded  in  the  rear  by 
the  deep  forest  of  the  mountain  which  still  em 
bowered  its  ancients  sides. 

"Yes,  MissV.,"  said  Mr.  F.,  as  his  hand  arrested 
the  war-club,   which  was  rolling  down  the  rock, 
occasioned  by  the  movement  of  Miss  V.,  who  again 
assumed  her  seat.     "  Hadley,  the  village  you  see 
on  our  right  with  its  pretty  spire  towering  above  the 
elms,  and  which  we   shall   pass  through   on   our 
ride  this  evening  to  Amherst,  was  a  point  of  re 
peated  attacks  of  the  savage  foe,  in  the  early  set 
tlement  of  the  colonists.     This  village  was  located 
earlier  than  Northampton,  its  opposite  neighbour  ; 
and  several  times  were  the  inhabitants  near  being 
entirely  massacred.    The  time  of  the  council,  how 
ever,  to  which  I  particularly  allude,  was  in  1675, 
when  Philip,  king  of  the  Wampanoags,  endeavour 
ed  to  effect  a  general  rising  of  all  the  tribes  through 
out  New  England,  that  they  might  overwhelm  all 
the  settlements  in  a  common  ruin,  and  rid  them 
selves,  at  once,  of  the  envied  and  hated  pale-faces. 
The  little  church  occupied  the  same  spot  where 
you   now   see   its  later   and   finer   specimen  of  a 
church  edifice ;  and  the  dwellings,  to   some  con 
siderable  number,  stand  on  their  old  sites.     It  was 
in  the  autumnal  season,  the  19th   of  November. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         43 

The   Indians,    during   the  earlier  months  of  July, 
August,  and  September,  had  been  falling  on  other 
places,  in  the  interior  and  along  the  coast.     The 
large  tribe  of  the  Narragansetts  had  made  a  treaty 
with  the  Connecticut  colonists,  but  it  was  evident 
that  they  were  harbouring  some   of  Philip's  men 
contrary  to  the  stipulation  of  the  treaty,  and  it  was 
known  that  some  of  the  young  Narragansett  war 
riors  were  among  the  Wampanoags  and  other  In 
dians  in  their  descent   upon  other   settlements  of 
the  colonies.     Numbers  of  the  planters  had  been 
killed,  and  their  women  and  children  murdered  or 
taken  into  captivity.  Having  lived  familiarly  among 
the  colonists,  the   Indians  were   acquainted   with 
every  path  that  led  to  the  dwellings  of  the  plant 
ers.     The    deep  wilderness,  existing   everywhere 
except  in  the  few  cleared  places  in  the  neighbour 
hood  of  the  settlers,  enabled  the  Indians,  in  great 
numbers  or  singly,  to  conceal  themselves,  and  sud 
denly  or  by  stealth  to  make  their  attacks,  and  even 
to  approach  into  the  very  midst   of  the  dwellings 
of  the    settlements.     They   entered   by   cover    of 
night  into  the  out-houses,  barns,  and  gardens,  and 
there  waited  the  break  of  day  to  shoot  down  the 
first  one  of  the  family  that   should  open  the  outer 
door,  on  the  very  threshold  of  their  dwellings.     It 
had  become  dangerous  for  man,  woman  or  child  to 
venture  abroad ;  and  the  Indians  attacked  the  whites 
as  they  went  to  the  field,  gathered  to  their  meals, 


44          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

and  when  worshipping  in  their  assemblies.  Deer- 
field,  seen  a  few  miles  in  this  direction,"  continued 
Mr.  F.,  pointing  to  the  north,  "  was  nearly  destroy 
ed  ;  and  to  secure  the  provisions,  it  was  resolved 
to  convey  a  large  quantity  of  wheat  to  Hadley, 
here  beneath  us,  and  to  fortify  this  town  as  a  gar 
rison.  A  number  of  the  choicest  young  men  of 
the  country  were  collected  to  guard  the  teams  on 
their  way  hither  and  back.  They  were  attacked 
by  800  Indians  so  suddenly  that  nearly  all  of  them 
were  cut  off.  Ninety  of  this  band,  composed  of  the 
best  young  men  of  the  settlers,  were  thus  massa 
cred  with  their  captain,  Lathrop,  to  whose  relief 
Captain  Mosely  hastened  from  Deerfield,  but 
was  too  late  to  yield  the  needed  succour,  and 
had  with  his  men  to  contend  with  the  whole  force 
of  the  Indians  for  hours,  when  Major  Treat,  of  the 
Connecticut  colony,  distinguished  for  his  enterprise 
and  bravery  through  all  the  Indians  wars,  came  up 
to  the  rescue  and  beat  back  the  Indians,  and  saved 
the  remaining  force  of  Captain  Mosely,  which 
otherwise  would  have  been  cut  off  to  a  man. 

"  At  about  the  same  time  Springfield,  a  short 
distance  at  the  south  of  us,  which  you  may  indis 
tinctly  see  in  this  direction,  was  surprised  by  the 
Indian  warriors.  The  Indians  of  the  neighbour 
hood  had  a  fort,  about  a  mile  from  town ;  and  so 
firmly  did  the  villagers  believe  in  their  fidelity 
and  friendship,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Springfield 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         45 

would  not  credit  the  messenger  which  had  been 
sent  to  them  from  Windsor  to  assure  them  that  it 
was  the  design  of  the  Indians  about  them  to  rise 
against  the  place  the  next  morning.  This  infor 
mation  had  been  communicated  by  a  friendly  Indian 
of  Windsor,  on  which  a  despatch  was  sent  to  Spring 
field  to  warn  its  inhabitants  to  be  prepared,  and 
another  messenger  was  sent  to  Major  Treat,  who 
was  at  Westfield  with  the  handful  of  Connecticut 
troops.  The  Springfield  people,  however,  felt  no 
alarm,  and  made  no  preparations  for  defence.  It 
proved  a  fearful  incredulity.  Philip  had  inveigled 
the  Indians  of  the  neighbourhood,  and  had  con 
veyed  three  hundred  of  his  warriors  into  their 
fort  but  a  mile  distant  from  the  town,  under  cover  of 
the  night  before  the  meditated  attack.  In  the  morn 
ing  after  the  arrival  of  the  news  of  the  treacherous 
designs  of  the  wily  foe,  the  captain  in  charge  of  the 
garrison  at  Springfield,  to  evince  his  unconcern, 
mounted  a  horse,  and  a  friend  another,  to  ride  to  the 
fort,  to  ascertain  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  the  report, 
which  they  discredited.  The  Indians  fired  upon 
them  at  their  approach.  The  friend  fell;  the  captain, 
being  an  athletic  man  and  of  unusual  strength,  suc 
ceeded  in  retaining  his  seat  upon  his  horse,  and  re 
turned  to  give  the  alarm,  though  he  had  received 
four  balls  through  his  person.  The  Indians  rushed 
on  without  delay  ;  and  the  whole  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Springfield  would  have  fallen  a  sacrifice  before 


46          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

the  Indian  foe  in  the  confusion  of  the  town  and  the 
absence  of  a  commander,  had  not  that  ever  indefati 
gable  leader,  Major  Treat,  made  his  appearance  with 
his  force  at  the  very  moment  of  the  attack,  and 
after  a  fearful  rencounter  drove  back  the  enemy. 

"  This  same  Major  Treat  had  left  Springfield 
again  to  save  Norwich  from  an  expected  attack 
from  the  Indians,  but  while  on  his  way  he  received 
countermanding  orders  and  returned  to  Northamp 
ton,  lying  now  so  beautifully  before  us.  The 
plan  of  attack  on  Hadley  had  been  concerted  by 
the  Indians.  It  was  October  19th.  More  than  eight 
hundred  warriors  from  different  tribes  were  col 
lected  in  the  neighbourhood.  Here,  on  this  spot, 
as  legend  tells  us,  was  held  the  powaw  or  religious 
dance  and  council,  the  day  and  evening  before 
the  attack.  Cononchet,,  son  of  Miantonimoh,  was 
present,  chief  of  the  Narragansetts,  who  inherited 
from  his  father  all  that  disdain  for  the  English, 
which  we  have  read  of  as  characteristic  of  the  early 
Indian.  And  with  him  were  a  number  of  his  pa- 
niese,  as  his  counsellors  were  called.  He  pointed 
out  to  the  chiefs  the  extended  fields,  as  he  directed 
their  eyes  to  the  different  views  which  lie  before 
us,  then  covered  in  a  dense  forest,  and  forming  at 
that  autumnal  season  of  the  year  a  panoramic  view 
in  its  dyes,  surpassing  the  present  for  its  grandeur 
if  not  for  its  beauty.  He  said,  The  pale  faces  offer 
you  breath,  if  you  will  bury  the  hatchet  and  yield 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          47 

to  them.  They  will  allow  you  fields  for  the  hunt, 
and  the  streams  for  your  fishing  places.  But  are 
the  red  man's  nostrils  to  be  fed  by  the  air  of  the 
pale-face  ]  Does  not  Kitchtan,  the  good  spirit  who 
dwells  in  the  far  southwest,  give  breath  to  his  red 
children  1  And  are  not  these  hunting  grounds 
already  ours  1  The  pale  skins  should  ask  you,  if 
their  hooks  may  dip  in  the  river  of  pines  for  your 
salmon,  and  the  mountain-streams  for  your  trout. 
Children  of  Kitchtan,  the  spirit  of  Miantonimoh, 
my  father,  says  the  fair  hunting  grounds  beyond  the 
setting  sun  await  the  red  man  who  hates  the  pale 
face.  "And  see,"  continued  the  chief,  as  he  extend 
ed  his  brawny  arm  and  small  hand,  standing  on  the 
mount  at  the  moment  a  bronze  warrior  prouder 
than  a  Napoleon  on  the  Alps,  with  his  finger  point 
ing  to  the  falling  orb,  "  See,  warriors  !  there  is  blood 
on  the  face  of  the  departing  Kitchtan,  that  says 
the  red  veins  of  the  pale-face  must  be  opened  j  and 
the  dye  on  the  leaf  of  the  sugar  tree  on  our  forest 
trails  asks  for  the  bloody  scalps  of  the  soft-haired 
enemy.  Who  longer  will  be  a  woman  1  The  pale 
face  quails.  Their  wigwams  are  smoking.  Their 
women  weep  around  our  fires.  The  pale-face  flies 
before  the  red-skins.  Who  longer  will  be  a  woman  1 
Cononchet  would  spurn  to  taste  his  blood  /" 

The  dance  of  the  powaws,  and  the  yells  of  the 
savages  in  their  paint  mingling  with  the  rattling  of 
their  shells,  which  they  shook  with  wild  starts, 


48         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

and  violent  motions  and  passions,  continued  long, 
that  night,  the  revel  and  the  superstitious  rite  ! 

It  was  a  fortunate  circumstance  that  the  council 
and  the  dance  of  the  powaw  was  held  at  this  spot, 
as  the  lights,  at  night,  served  as  an  admonition  to 
the  people  of  Hadley  and  Northampton,  that  there 
were  Indians  about  them,  and  caused  them  to  be  in 
preparation  for  the  sudden  assault. 

The  daylight  of  the  succeeding  morning  had 
just  begun  to  streak  the  east,  when  the  whole  force 
of  the  Indians,  agreeably  to  their  arrangement, 
made  a  general  onset  upon  every  part  of  the  town  of 
Hadley.  At  the  first  alarm  the  women  and  children 
fled  to  the  stockaded  houses.  The  fight  was  con 
tinued  and  obstinate.  It  had  not  raged  long,  how 
ever,  before  Major  Treat,  the  ever  ready  leader, 
hurried  across  the  river  from  Northampton  to 
the  assistance  of  the  Hadley  people.  But  the 
Indians  fought  with  desperation.  They  were 
flushed  by  previous  success,  and  had  come  to  the 
attack  with  a  boldness  and  unyielding  determin 
ation,  which  had  never  before  so  fully  characterized 
their  spirit  of  vengeance  and  daring.  The  colo 
nists  were  becoming  exhausted  in  the  long  fight, 
and  the  overpowering  numbers  of  the  yelling  foe, 
when,  as  if  by  some  enchantment  of  supernatural 
power,  a  venerable  looking  man,  with  silvered 
locks  and  a  peculiar  dress,  made  his  appearance 
at  the  head  of  the  forces,  renewing  and  encourag- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         49 

ing  and  directing  the  onset  of  the  English  against 
the  Indians.  No  weapon  of  the  enemy  seemed  to 
reach  him  ;  and  the  exhausted  band,  in  the  religious 
credulity  of  the  age,  believing  that  some  angel  had 
been  sent  from  heaven  to  fight  their  battle  in  their 
distress,  renewed  and  continued  their  efforts,  charg 
ing  the  foe  with  a  terrible  slaughter,  and  driving 
them  from  the  field.  The  Indians  retreated,  dis 
heartened  by  their  loss  ;  and  immediately  after  left 
this  region  of  the  country,  and  took  up  their  head 
quarters  with  the  Narragansetts  on  the  seaboard. 

"  And  what  became  of  the  hoary-headed  vete 
ran  V'  asked  Miss  Ella  V.,  after  a  short  pause,  during 
which  each  seemed  to  look  with  renewed  interest 
on  the  village  of  Hadley  and  the  plains  over  which 
its  houses  and  cleared  lands  are  now  seen  spreading, 
in  quiet  and  loveliness. 

"Many  remarkable  stories  were  narrated  about 
the  action  and  the  appearance  of  the  extraordinary 
personage,  who  had  so  unaccountably  and  sudden 
ly  appeared  among  the  colonists,  and  as  remarka 
bly  disappeared,  for  he  was  never  heard  of  after 
wards.  There  is  a  secret  history,  however,"  con 
tinued  Mr.  F.,  "  connected  with  the  private  dwell 
ing  house  you  see  in  this  direction  of  the  town, 
which  solves  the  mystery.  It  stands  on  the  corner 
of  the  main  street  and  the  road  we  shall  take  to 
Amherst  this  evening ;  and  we  will  pause  with  the 
recollections  of  the  story  at  this  memorable  resi- 
5 


50         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

dence.  It  was  occupied  at  that  time  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Russell,  the  clergyman  of  the  place,  with  a  des 
cendant  of  whom  I  have  the  pleasure  of  being  ac 
quainted.  And  there  is  a  part  of  the  building  which 
was  never  entered  by  any  one  except  the  family. 
Here,  he  sheltered  two  of  the  regicides,  as  they 
were  termed,  for  having  occupied  a  seat  among  the 
judges  who  decided  the  fate  of  Charles  the  first  of 
England,  and  who,  according  to  their  decision,  was 
beheaded.  On  the  accession  of  Charles  the  second, 
after  the  death  of  Cromwell  the  Protector,  Goffand 
Whalley,  who  had  been  generals  in  Cromwell's  army, 
were  excepted  from  the  number  of  the  judges,  to 
whom  the  royal  favour  extended  pardon,  notwith 
standing  the  sentence  they  had  given  against  his  rel 
ative.  They,  in  the  change  of  affairs,  had  fled  to  New 
England,  trusting  to  the  sympathies  of  the  Puritans, 
whose  cause  Cromwell  and  the  judges  had  sup 
ported  in  England,  and  successfully,  while  the 
Protector  survived,  against  the  church  party  and  le 
gitimacy.  Goff  and  Whalley  first  arrived  at  Boston, 
where  they  were  kindly  received.  But  when  it  was 
learned  that  the  king  had  excepted  them  from  the 
pardon,  and  fixed  a  price  upon  their  heads,  and 
forbid  any  of  his  subjects  to  harbour  them,  the 
government  of  Boston  became  alarmed  lest  they 
should  incur  the  displeasure  of  the  second  Charles. 
The  two  regicides  therefore  left  Boston  and  sought 
safety  at  New  Haven,  at  the  residence  of  the  Rev. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          51 

Mr.  Devenport ;  and  afterwards,  on  the  arrival  of 
commissioners  from  England  to  apprehend  them, 
they  retired  from  the  town  to  a  cave,  still  called 
the  Judges'  Cave,  composed  of  two  high  rocks  on 
the  most  western  of  the  two  dark  bluffs,  which  we 
see  hereaway  at  the  south  now  eighty  miles  from 
us.  Their  situation  becoming  too  much  exposed, 
the  two  exiles  fled  to  this  village  of  Hadley,  and 
were  received  by  the  reverend  Mr.  Russell,  who 
gave  them  shelter,  secrecy,  and  sustenance.  Goff 
had  died  or  was  unwell  at  the  time  of  the  attack  of 
the  Indians;  and  Whalley  was  the  appearing  angel, 
whose  arm  rendered  such  service  on  that  gloomy 
day." 

The  different  members  of  the  party  having  sat 
isfied  themselves  with  the  various  views  from 
Mount  Holyoke,  began  their  descent  from  the  sum 
mit,  less  difficult  and  fatiguing  than  the  climbing 
of  the  mountain  by  the  same  winding  path.  The 
writer  was  in  the  advance,  with  most  of  the  group, 
while  Mr.  F.,  with  little  Rosa  E.  by  the  hand,  and 
Miss  V.  upon  his  arm,  was  latest  in  accomplishing 
the  descent.  He  assisted  Miss  V.  and  the  little  Rosa 
to  their  seats  in  the  barouche,  and  placed  himself 
beside  them,  while  the  rest  of  the  party  had  prefer 
red  to  advance  on  foot,  a  short  distance  down  the 
hill.  The  driver  was  soon  in  his  place  ;  when  the 
horses,  at  first,  started  gently,  but  in  consequence 
of  some  neglect  in  the  adjustment  of  the  harness, 


52         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

the  gear  alarmed  the  off-horse,  which  soon  fright 
ened  the  other.  They  had  already  increased  their 
speed,  and  soon  became  unmanageable.  Sheering 
suddenly  to  the  right,  the  wheel  of  the  barouche 
passed  over  a  rock  and  threw  the  driver  from  his 
seat,  and  the  reins,  at  the  same  time,  passed 
through  his  hands.  The  alarm,  of  course,  had  be 
come  great.  The  horses  had  already  passed  our 
selves  as  we  were  walking  down  the  slight  decli 
vity,  and  the  ladies  screamed  as  they  shot  by, 
which  frightened  the  animals  yet  more,  now  at  the 
top  of  their  speed  on  the  level.  Mr.  F.  was  seen 
at  this  moment  moving  from  his  seat,  as  if  he  were 
in  search  for  the  reins,  and  soon  threw  himself 
over  the  driver's  seat — placed  his  foot  upon  the 
pole — and  sprung  upon  the  near  horse.  Elevating 
his  war-club,  he  levelled  a  tremendous  blow  at  the 
head  of  the  off-horse.  The  animal  fell  beneath  the 
heavy  stroke  5  but  the  check  it  gave  to  the  vehicle, 
pitched  the  heroic  rider  several  feet  into  the  fence, 
on  the  left  of  the  horses.  He  rose  as  suddenly,  ap 
parently  having  received  no  injury,  and  seized  the 
reins  of  the  rearing  and  pitching  horse.  We  im 
mediately  came  up,  and  received  Miss  V.  and  the 
little  girl  from  the  vehicle. 

"  There,  Messieurs  Chevals  Blanc  and  Blond — 
better  tomahawk  ten  horses  than  injure  a  limb  of 
one  descendant  of  the  Puritans." 

The  voice  of  Mr,  F.,  as  he  thus  spoke,  was  as 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          53 

calm  as  was  his  purpose,  while  every  muscle  of  his 
person  trembled  with  the  excitement.  He  soon 
calmed  the  restless  beast ;  and  the  driver  coming 
up,  convinced  himself  and  the  party,  that  the  scalp 
of  the  fallen  animal  was  now  his  only  value.  The 
dilemma,  however,  of  one  horse  and  a  two  horse 
vehicle  was  soon  relieved  by  the  appearance  of  a 
countryman,  on  horseback,  whose  animal  served 
to  match  our  surviving  cheval ;  and  we  were  again 
on  our  return  way,  finishing  without  further  acci 
dent  our  short  ride,  and  grateful  for  the  rescue,  but 
highly  enjoying  the  ludicrous  incident  of  Mr.  F.'s 
felling  the  noble  steed  with  an  Indian  war-club. 


54         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 


SECTION  V. 

THE  party,  having  finished  their  visits  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Northampton,  set  off  for  Bos 
ton,  passing  through  Worcester,  that  place  of 
antique  papers  and  good  modern  taste  ;  and  reached 
the  Tremont  House  in  the  city  of  Boston,  on  Thurs 
day  morning. 

The  party  walked  and  rode  to  various  places, 
in  and  about  the  city. 

"  Give  me  that  little  book,  Rosa,"  said  Mr.  F. 
to  Eosa  E.,  who  was  carrying  a  beautiful  little 
Testament  which  her  mother  had  purchased,  as 
they  stopped  at  a  book-store  in  Boston,  on  their 
ride  through  town  an  hour  before,  on  their  way  for 
visiting  MOUNT  AUBURN,  the  beautiful  cemetery 
some  three  miles  from  the  city. 

The  different  members  of  the  party  had  been 
threading  the  paths  of  these  beautiful  grounds, 
winding  among  the  groves  and  their  embowered 
tombs ;  and  each  one  indulging  the  meditations 
which  the  sad  but  beautiful  monuments  of  the 
dead  called  up  to  their  minds.  They  were  now 
gathered  from  their  different  walks  to  a  circular 
bench  on  an  elevated  position,  which  commanded 
the  view  of  several  rich  obelisks  of  marble  and 
granite.  Mr.  F.  saw  that  the  eye  of  Mrs.  E.  was 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          55 

wet,  and  rightly  judged  that  she  had  been  think 
ing  of  some,  whom  she  had  left,  like  the  deep 
slumberers  among  these  shades,  in  their  place  of 
rest,  until  the  final  trump  shall  wake  the  dead. 

"Is  not  this  beautiful!"  said  Mr.  F.,  as  he  open 
ed  the  book  at  Revelation,  chapter  xxi.  So  truly 
do  all  of  Saint  John's  conceptions  have  the  two 
characteristics  of  sublimity  about  them,  simplicity 
yet  grandeur.  'And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a 
new  ea.th,  for  the  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth 
were  passed  away,  and  there  was  no  more  sea. 
And  I  John  saw  the  holy  city,  the  new  Jerusalem. 
And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven  saying, 
Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he 
will  dwell  with  them  ;  and  they  shall  be  his  people, 
and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their 
God.  Jlnd  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes,  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow, 
nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain.  And 
he  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said,  He  that  overcom- 
eth  shall  inherit  these  things,  and  I  will  be  his 
God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son.'  ' 

After  a  moment's  pause,  Mr.  F.  added,  "  There 
is  no  individual  who  has  lived  upon  earth,  whatever 
may  have  been  his  external  circumstances,  who  has 
not  had  his  sorrow.  The  world,  it  is  true,  and  per 
haps  I  have  thus  experienced  it  as  far  as  most  per 
sons  of  my  age,  has  its  joys — its  many  joys — and 
many,  comparatively,  have  been  happy.  But  if 


56         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

they  lived  long  here,  their  feasts  of  enjoyment 
were  often  broken  in  upon  ;  and  if  their  race  was  but 
short,  they  yet  must  have  felt  enough  of  the  calami 
ties  of  earth,  to  assure  them  that  it  is  necessary  for 
us  to  enter  on  some  other  state  of  being  before  we 
can  secure  the  perfect  rest,  which  the  soul,  as  one 
element  of  its  spiritual  being,  longs  for.  And  there 
are  some  whose  course  of  life  is  one  continuous 
way  of  disappointment,  and  distress,  and  protracted 
sorrows.  Sufferings  of  body  or  anguish  of  mind 
are  their  constant  companions.  If,  for  a  moment, 
they  find  a  relief  to  the  bitterness  of  their  distress 
in  the  unaffected  sympathies  of  those  who  love 
them,  they  yet  but  too  soon  learn  the  truth, 

"  That  words  of  love  and  friendship  spoken, 
Tell  oft  that  hearts  will  soon  be  broken." 

"It  is,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  as  he  turned  his  eye 
on  the  weeds  of  Mrs.  E.  and  her  orphan,  "  it  is,  in 
circumstances  like  these,  that  the  afflicted  mind 
lets  its  thoughts  go  to  the  pages  of  revelation,  and 
hears  with  a  soothed  heart  the  grateful  words  that 
point  to  a  future  state  of  happy  being :  '  Eye  hath 
not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath  entered  the 
heart  of  man  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared 
for  them  that  love  him.'  '  God  shall  wipe  away 
all  tears  from  their  eyes,  and  there  shall  be  no  more 
death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall 
there  be  any  more  pain.' 5J 


57 

"It  is  beautiful,"  said  Mrs.  E.,  as  she  brushed 
from  her  cheek  a  large  tear  that  rolled  from  her 
peculiarly  fine  and  dark  eye,  "  and  the  words  come 
over  the  heart  with  consolation.  The  other  world 
has  gained,  in  late  months,  a  defmiteness  to  me, 
which  it  once  did  not  have.  But  while  I  reflect 
upon  its  joys,  of  which  we  are  assured,  my  mind  I 
find  is  often  confused.  What  will  be  the  state  of 
one's  being — and  what  the  sources  of  the  enjoyment 
of  the  saint  1  That  I  shall  meet  one  there,  I  have 
ceased  to  doubt,  and  that  sweet  Rosa  shall  be  an 
other,"  said  the  young  widowed  mother,  as  she 
pressed  her  orphan  child  closer  to  her  bosom — but 
she  only  ended  the  sentence  by  the  tears  that  fell 
fast  and  free  upon  the  cheek  of  her  beautiful  little 
girl,  who,  although  hardly  knowing  why  her  mo 
ther  wept,  yet  as  if  by  instinct  put  her  arms  around 
her  mother's  neck  and  sobbed  aloud. 

This  burst  of  grief  was  soon  over,  and,  as  in  all 
such  cases,  it  gave  relief  to  the  afflicted  heart. 
Little  Rosa,  in  her  young  joyousness  and  thought 
less  change  of  childhood,  had  already  sprung  off 
a  few  yards  to  a  little  thicket,  to  cull  a  wild  violet 
that  had  met  her  eye. 

The  hour  was  a  lovely  one  ;  and  as  the  party 
had  finished  their  rounds  through  the  grounds, 
there  seemed  no  disposition  at  the  moment  to 
move. 

"  But,  do   you  think  that  we   shall  know   our 


58          ELLA  V..  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 


Christian  friends  in  another  world,  Mr.  F.  V'  asked 
Miss  V.,  who  also  had  indulged  to  tears  in  her 
sympathies  for  her  friend. 

"  Yes,  Miss  V.,"  replied  Mr.  F.,  who  seemed  for 
a  moment,  to  have  been  lost  in  the  abstractions  of 
his  own  thoughts.  "  If  I  mistake  not,  Mrs.  E.  is 
not  peculiar  in  the  indefiniteness  and  confusion  to 
which  she  alludes  in  the  conceptions  of  her  own 
mind,  as  to  the  future  circumstances  of  a  departed 
spirit,  and  the  probable  sources  of  enjoyment  which 
shall  give  perpetual  happiness  to  the  redeemed. 
And  I  have  thought  that  our  conceptions  on  these 
subjects  have  been,  in  many  particulars,  unneces 
sarily  indefinite.  The  Scripture  language  which  is 
employed  to  convey  to  us  ideas  relating  to  the 
happiness  of  the  glorified  around  the  throne  of 
God,  it  is  true,  is  often  figurative,  and,  as  used  by 
St.  John,  is  highly  poetic.  But  often,  the  object  of 
the  sacred  writers  in  the  use  of  this  language  has 
been  mistaken.  It  was  not  to  convey  to  our  minds 
the,  particulars,  which  shall  render  us  happy  as 
redeemed  spirits ;  but  to  convey  to  our  minds  the 
extent  and  the  completeness  of  that  joy,  which  shall 
feast  the  soul,  so  happy  as  to  enter  into  the  '  many 
mansions.'  The  cup  of  bliss  that  shall  be  offered  to 
the  saint  in  heaven  shall  be  full.  And  the  apostles 
have  conveyed  this  idea  distinctly  to  us,  by  bringing 
before  our  imagination  the  most  beautiful  creations 
of  nature  and  art,  which  can  yield  us  pleasure  and 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          59 

delight  us  by  their  possession  or  in  their  contem 
plation  :  and  then  again,  by  exhibiting  before  us 
whatever  can  contribute  to  our  sorrow,  alarm, 
anxiety,  and  assuring  us  that  such  things  shall  be 
absent  from  those  happy  regions.  All  things  there 
shall  conspire  to  augment  our  bliss.  Nothing 
shall  be  present  to  mar  our  full  felicity.  The 
'  pure  river  of  water'  shall  be  there,  clear  as  crys 
tal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb.  There  shall  be  the  *  tree  of  life,'  whose 
leaves  shall  be  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  The 
'  walls'  of  the  holy  city  shall  be  garnished  with 
all  manner  of  precious  stones.  Its  l  streets'  shall 
be  of  pure  gold.  The  'gates'  thereof  shall  not 
be  shut  by  day  nor  by  night,  and  the  Almighty  and 
the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it.  And  what  shall 
not  be  there  1  No  more  curse — no  more  night — and 
they  shall  have  no  more  need  of  the  sun  nor  of  the 
moon  to  shine  in  the  holy  city,  for  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  shall  lighten  it.  And  there  shall  be  no  more 
sorrow,  nor  crying,  nor  pain,  and  God  shall  wipe 
away  all  tears  from  their  eyes ;  and  THERE  SHALL 

BE  NO    MORE  DEATH. 

"  But  this  language,  as  you  must  at  once  see, 
gives  us  no  distinct  conception  as  to  the  particu 
lars,  which  shall  go  to  make  up  this  full  joy  and 
to  abstract  this  every  pain.  This  language  of 
the  apostle  was  not  intended  to  convey  ideas  as 
to  these  particulars.  The  'pure  river'  of  water, 


60          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

the  '  walls'  garnished  with  all  manner  of  precious 
stones,  and  the  '  streets,'  paved  with  gold,  may 
awaken  in  our  imagination  the  idea  that  a  resi 
dence  described  by  such  beautiful  imagery  would 
yield  us  delight.  But  no  one  can  suppose  that 
'  rivers'  of  water,  and  '  walls'  of  cities,  and 
'streets'  of  gold,  will  be  realities  in  a  world  of 
spiritual  existences. 

"  To  secure,  then,  any  thing  like  definite  ideas 
as  to  what  shall  be  the  probable  sources  of  the  en 
joyment  of  heaven  to  the  ransomed  spirit,  which 
the  metaphoric  language  of  the  Bible  describes  to 
be  complete,  we  must  have  recourse  to  the  CONSTI 
TUTION  OF  OUR  SPIRITUAL  BEING TO  THE  NATURE  OF 

THE  SOUL." 

"  And  will  you  not,"  said  Mrs.  E.,  as  she  per 
ceived  Mr.  F.  to  pause  in  one  of  his  peculiar  ab 
stractions  when  his  eye  was  fixed  on  vacancy, 
which  gave  to  his  features  an  intellectual  cast  so 
peculiar  to  those  persons  who  have  formed  the 
habit  of  close  mental  action  of  original  thinking, 
"  will  you  not  give  us  your  thoughts  in  connection 
with  the  society  of  sainted  spirits,  and  the  manner 
you  think  they  shall  be  made  completely  happy  1 
You  know  we  like  to  hear  you  talk  on  these  sub 
jects,  as  you  have  sometimes  indulged  us;  and 
this  place,  while  we  are  in  these  grounds,  is  so  fit 
for  such  musings,  it  seems  almost  like  sacrilege 
here  to  indulge  in  any  other  thoughts." 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         61 

Mr.  F.  recovered  himself  playfully,  as  he  pointed 
out  a  turtle-dove,  which  had  just  lighted  in  the 
path,  at  a  little  distance  from  where  the  party  were 
seated.  "  I  wonder,"  said  he,  "  if  that  little  crea 
ture  has  come  here  to  mourn  for  its  absent  mate  1 
It  is  not  usual  for  them  to  fly  separately.  Ah,  I 
thought  so,"  he  continued,  as  the  mate  came  skim 
ming  through  the  pines  and  perched  herself,  with 
her  neck  up,  near  her  companion.  "It  is  a  beau 
tiful  fiction,  that  when  one  of  those  birds  die,  the 
other  mourns  itself  to  death." 

"And  yet,"  said  Ella  V.,  "it  would  not  seem  so 
great  a  calamity  for  companions  to  be  soon  and 
suddenly  separated,  were  they  confident  in  the 
assurance  that  in  heaven  they  shall  be  re-united, 
as  remembered  friends  on  earth.  But  are  you  not 
to  remember  Mrs.  E.'s  request  1  What  were  you 
to  say  of  the  happy  spirits  of  the  other  world,  and 
the  sources  of  their  happiness  V 

"  It  seems  to  have  been  supposed  by  some," 
said  Mr.  F.,  recurring  to  the  subject  proposed  by 
Mrs.  E,,  "that  the  constitution  of  our  spiritual  being, 
or  the  soul  of  the  MfJi^wiU  have  gone  through  such 
a  change,  by  death,  as  to  have  become  quite  a  dif 
ferent  thing  in  its  nature  in  another  world,  from 
what  it  is  in  this.  For  instance,  some  seem  to 
think  that  our  memories  will  be  blotted  out,  lest,  as 
I  suppose  such  persons  would  think,  we  may  recur 
back  to  the  transactions  of  this  world  with  pain. 
6 


62          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

There  certainly  might  be  something  more  adduced 
in  support  of  this  impression  than  for  thousand 
other  and  more  crude  notions,  which  seem  to  be 
floating  through  the  minds  of  vast  numbers  of 
Christian  people,  which  seem  to  have  resulted 
from  the  indefinite  manner  with  which  Christians 
often  speak  of  heavenly  and  spiritual  things — adopt 
ing  as  they  often  do  the  poetic  and  metaphoric 
language  of  the  Bible,  without  a  proper  view  of 
the  correct  principles  of  interpretation.  So  true 
is  this,  that  I  have  known  some  persons  under  a 
species  of  impression,  that,  as  St.  John  speaks  of 
the  '  everlasting  songs  '  unto  him  who  redeemed  us, 
so,  they  say,  the  saints  shall  literally  spend  their 
eternity  in  a  ceaseless  shout  of  worship  around  the 
throne  of  the  Eternal.  And  a  German  organist,  to 
whom  I  once  was  expressing  my  love  for  the  simple 
and  pathetic  in  music,  and  who  was  fond  of  indulging 
in  the  full  chorus,  replied,  that  there  would  be  no 
plaintive  music  in  heaven.  And  do  you  think  there 
will  be  organs  there  1  I  asked.  "Surely,"  added 
Mr.  F.,  as  his  voice  fell  to  a  soft  intonation  that 
was  music  itself,  and  peculiarly  his  own,  when  his 
sympathies  were  touched,  "  there  is  such  a  thing  as 
a  song  of  soul,  which  is  the  soul  of  song,  and  which 
a  disembodied  spirit,  and  a  spirit  while  in  the  body 
may  raise  and  enjoy,  with  ceaseless  gratitude  and 
love  to  God,  without  indulging  in  any  audible  sound 
or  note  of  voice. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         63 

"But,  to  recur  to  the  idea  that  in  heaven  the 
memory  may  be  lost.  Suppose  it  were  taken  from 
us,  what  should  we  then  be  1  We,  at  once,  should 
lose  our  personal  identity,  and  not  know  who  we 
are  or  who  we  have  been.  That  power  of  the  mind, 
which  we  call  memory,  is  one  attribute  of  the  soul, 
and  cannot  be  destroyed  without  annihilating  one 
part  of  the  soul  itself,  any  more  than  the  power  of 
thinking  could  be  destroyed,  and  yet  leave  us,  as 
we  now  are,  thinking  beings.  The  only  change,  as 
I  apprehend,  which  a  purified  spirit,  so  happy  as  to 
reach  the  courts  of  eternal  righteousness  and  con 
sequent  happiness,  shall  have  gone  through,  will  be 
from  sin  to  holiness.  And  this  involves  no  change 
in  the  attributes  of  the  soul.  They  will  remain  the 
same.  Holiness  only  implies  that  these  same  attri 
butes  or  faculties  of  the  soul,  which  now  go  to 
make  up  our  being,  shall  in  heaven  be  exercised 
according  to  what  is  riarht,  which  is  holiness. 

"The  same  thing  is  true,"  continued  Mr.  F., 
"  when  the  soul  here  becomes,  in  the  Scripture  lan 
guage,  converted.  There  is  no  change  in  the  attri 
butes  or  powers  of  the  mind.  Before  a  person 
meets  with  this  change,  he  exercises  his  faculties 
in  a  course  of  disobedience  to  the  principles  of  the 
gospel,  which  is  sin.  Afterwards,  he  employs  the 
same  unchanged  attributes  of  his  soul  in  obedience 
to  these  principles,  which  is  holiness.  He  now 
loves  God  supremely  with  the  same  powers  of  the 


ELLA    V.,    OR    THE    JULY    TOUR. 

mind  with  which  he  formerly  and  supremely  loved 
the  world.  His  memory  is  the  same  after  as  it  was 
before  this  change,  although  it  may  be  turned  to 
wards  different  and  more  commendable  objects  of 
contemplation.  And  this  is  true  of  all  the  other 
attributes  of  the  soul.  They  remain  unaltered. 
He  is  the  same  mental  being  that  he  was,  as  to  his 
powers,  though  the  decisions  of  those  powers  of 
soul  are  now  according  to  what  he  perceives  to  be 
right,  and,  of  consequence,  are  holy  ;  whereas,  in 
his  decisions  before  this,  in  view  of  his  known  ob 
ligations,  he  exercised  these  same  powers  contrary 
to  what  he  knew  to  be  right,  and  consequently  they 
were  unholy. 

"  I  repeat,  then,  what  is  not  always  considered, 
that  all  our  attributes,  mental  and  moral,  of  the  soul 
are  the  same  before  our  change  of  character  which 
the  Scriptures  style  conversion,  that  they  are 
after  it.  The  devils  in  hell  are  the  same  noble 
and  unchanged  beings,  as  to  their  intellectual  cha 
racter  and  mental  constitution,  that  they  were  when 
angels  in  heaven.  And  man,  though  a  sinner  here 
on  earth,  shall  be  the  same  mental  being  when  a 
saint  in  heaven.  The  same  powers  of  memory — of 
thinking — of  loving — of  hating — of  reasoning — and 
imagining,  shall  constitute  his  spiritual  being  there 
as  they  do  here,  and  the  change  will  only  consist 
in  having  these  powers  of  the  mind  and  heart  there 
governed  aright,  and  in  that  right  government  of 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         65 

them  will,  through  eternity,  consist  the  holiness 
of  the  saints  ;  as  the  right  government  of  the  attri 
butes  of  angelic  beings  in  heaven  now  constitutes 
their  holiness." 

Here  Mr.  F.  paused  a  moment,  and  his  thoughts 
seemed  to  be  pursuing  the  subject  on  which  he 
had  been  uttering  them.  No  one  replied,  while 
thoughtful  silence  indicated  the  interest  with  which 
the  subject  was  gaining  to  each,  as  Mr.  F.  con 
tinued  : 

"What,  then,"  he  asked,  "are  some  of  the  par 
ticular  attributes  which  go  to  make  up  the  spiritual 
being,  or  the  soul  of  man,  as  it  shall  continue  to 
exist  in  another  world  1  We  all  know — I  know, 
and  you,  Mrs.  E.,  know,  and  Miss  V.  knows,  that  we 
have  within  us,  inherent  in  the  very  nature  of  our 
souls,  certain  desires — such  as  the  desire  of  the 
friendship  of  others — the  desire  of  knowledge — the 
desire  of  continual  and  immortal  existence,  not  now 
to  mention  more.  And  these  desires  are  inde 
pendent  of  all  change  of  circumstances.  And  in 
the  gratification  of  these  desires  of  our  being,  our 
happiness  consists.  We  further  know  that  we 
take  pleasure  in  rendering  acts  of  kindness  to 
those  who  have  our  confidence  and  love.  And 
memory,  and  the  powers  of  reflection  and  antici 
pation,  are  among  the  elements  of  our  soul,  and 
are  the  attributes  appealed  to  by  Rogers  and  Camp 
bell,  in  their  Pleasures  of  Memory  and  Hope. 
6* 


66          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

"Now,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  "a  human  spirit,  re- 
taining  all  these  attributes  of  soul,  (for  they  are 
the  very  things  which  constitute  him  the  very 
being  that  he  is,)  when  he  finds  himself  in  the 
heaven  of  the  saints,  must  have  these  desires  of 
his  soul  gratified,  if  he  is  to  be  a  happy  spirit. 
And  so  long  as  he  remains  the  mental  being  that 
God  has  made  him,  his  happiness  will  and  must 
continue  to  consist  in  the  gratification  of  these 
native  susceptibilities  of  his  being.  As  truly  this 
must  be,  as  is  the  certainty  that  to  be  happy  here, 
with  our  present  constitution  of  body,  we  must 
have  something  to  gratify  our  appetite  for  food 
when  we  are  hungry,  if  we  will  be  happy. 

"  We  are  thus,  if  I  rightly  conceive,  brought 
to  the  necessary  conclusion  that  these  attributes  or 
susceptibilities  of  the  soul,  which  I  have  specified 
as  among  those  which  will  remain  with  a  sanctified 
spirit,  will  find  in  the,  circumstances  of  its  residence 
in  heaven,  sources  and  means  for  their  gratification. 

"  We  shall  reach  the  same  conclusion  if  we  con 
sult  the  purport  of  the  language  of  the  Scriptures, 
when  that  language  is  divested  of  metaphor  and 
allegory,  where  it  speaks  of  the  active  states  of 
the  saints  in  heaven. 

"  As  I  said,  we  are  constituted  with  a  social  prin 
ciple,  as  one  part  of  our  nature.  This  delights  in 
the  society  of  friends  ;  and  we  are  rendered  happy 
by  it  when  we  are  assured  that  we  possess  the 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          67 

affectionate  regard  of  those  friends.  Now  we  at 
once  see  that  this  social  principle,  according  to 
the  general  descriptions  of  the  Scriptures,  will  be 
fully  met  in  heaven.  There,  we  know,  as  the  first 
object  of  affection,  and  of  reciprocated  affection, 
the  soul  shall  familiarly  commune  with  the  Sav 
iour.  There,  we  shall  '  see  him  as  he  is,'  and  '  be 
like  him' — that  is,  possess  the  same  kind,  amiable, 
affectionate,  tender,  benevolent  spirit,  which  so 
characterized  him  as  the  being  who  literally  gave 
his  life  to  rescue  from  harm,  and  from  eternal  harm, 
the  friends  who  shall  then  be  around  him  in  fami 
liar,  social,  grateful  and  delightful  intercourse. 

"And  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is,"  added  Mr.  F., 
with  an  emphasis  on  the  first  word  of  the  sentence 
which  he  quoted  from  Paul,  "  and,  by  consequence, 
commune  with  each  other — that  is,  with  all  who 
are  included  in  this  word  we  which  the  apostle 
uses,  and  it  does  include  all  the  saints. 

"  But  besides  the  affectionate  fellowship  which 
the  redeemed  soul  shall  hold  with  the  Saviour  and 
the  '  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,'  we  are  told 
further,  by  Saint  Paul,  that  we  shall  come  to  '  an 
innumerable  company  of  angels?  And  we  have 
further  confirmation  of  this  idea  that  the  angels, 
intelligent  and  amiable  spirits,  shall  constitute  part 
of  the  society  and  familiar  companionship  of  hea 
ven  ;  in  the  language  of  our  Saviour,  that  we  shall 
be  '  as  the  angels'  of  God  in  the  resurrection,  in 


68          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

opposition  to  the  idea  of  marrying  and  being  given 
in  marriage — that  is,  our  existence  in  heaven  shall 
be  a  spiritual  residence.  And  Saint  Luke,  record 
ing  other  and  solemn  language  of  the  Saviour  in  re 
gard  to  the  final  resurrection,  says,  with  a  deep 
emphasis  to  the  mind  unrenewed,  as  well  as  with 
most  grateful  consolation  to  ?the  Christian,  '  Who 
soever  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  shall  the 
Son  of  man  confess  before  the  angels  of  God.  But 
he  that  denieth'  or  does  not  confess  '  me  before 
men,  shall  be  denied  before  the  angels  of  God.' 
Not  only  then  shall  the  ransomed  spirit  mingle  in 
the  society  of  the  redeemed  from  every  tongue, 
and  nation,  and  people,  with  the  ancient  seers,  and 
prophets,  and  apostles,  and  martyrs,  and  '  the  gen 
eral  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born,'  and 
with  their  Redeemer,  and  receive  from  them  their 
full  confidence  and  reciprocated  affection  ;  but  the 
happy  spirit  shall  also  have  the  society  and  com 
panionship  '  of  innumerable  and  holy  angels' — 
beings  of  noblest  intellect  and  of  purity  of  charac 
ter.  What  more,  then,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  with  his 
own  amiable  sensibilities  enkindling  with  the  senti 
ment,  "  what  more  shall  we  need,  for  the  full  grati 
fication  of  THIS  ONE  ELEMENT  OF  OUR  SOULS THIS  DE 
SIRE  OF  SOCIETY,  SOCIAL  AND  INTELLECTUAL  INTER 
COURSE,  AND  THE  FULL  CONFIDENCE  AND  SURE  AFFEC 
TION  OF  FRIENDS  1  Surely,  this  of  itself  is  enough 
to  render  the  soul  thrice  blessed.  For,  who  has 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          69 

not  tasted  of  the  delightful  emotion,  which,  here 
on  earth,  the  unrestrained  confidence  and  sure  af 
fection  of  friendship  and  reciprocated  and  known 
attachment  wake  up  in  the  soul  1  On  earth,  the 
society  of  such  friends  is  sought  for  as  surely  as 
that  the  magnet  seeks  its  pole  ;  and  if,  like  the 
disturbed  magnet,  the  spirit  chance  to  have  been 
thrown  from  its  rest,  the  agitated  soul  regains  its 
peace  at  its  own  settling  point — the  sympathy  of 
those  friendly  bosoms. 

"And  thus  it  is  in  heaven,"  said  Mr.  F.,  as  his 
eye  rested  on  a  pile  of  fleecy  cumuli-clouds,  seen 
at  this  moment  through  a  vista  at  the  right,  sailing 
through  the  beautiful  and  calm  blue  of  their  own 
upper  deep,  "  so  it  is  in  heaven.  Each  one  shall 
know  the  other  to  be  his  friend.  His  confidence 
shall  be  full.  He  shall  greet  his  fellow-associate  as 
more  than  brother — more  than  sister-spirit,  kindred 
and  redeemed.  Friendship  shall  there  glow  in  every 
bosom.  No  broken  vows — no  misplaced  affection 
shall  there  pierce  a  confiding  heart.  Not  one  unkind 
look — not  one  jealous  thought  shall  mar  the  free, 
and  pure,  and  familiar  companionship  of  a  ransomed 
world.  Interest  for  his  fellow  spirit  shall  swell  each 
bosom  with  joyous  emulation  to  do  his  friend  the 
greater  good.  Thus,  to  have  the  full  confidence,  and 
reciprocated  affection,  and  deep-felt  interest,  and 
social  and  familiar  companionship  of  the  whole  of 
heaven — shall  not  this  be  enough  to  make  the  many 


70          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

mansions  more  than  Eden  to  a  ransomed  soul,  and 
give  felicity  such  as  angels  know  to  the  purified 
and  rescued  spirit  V' 

For  a  moment  the  party  sat  in  silence,  each 
pursuing  the  train  of  thought  which  the  remarks 
of  Mr.  F.  had  awakened.  He  soon  added  :  "  I  have 
given  but  a  few  thoughts  to  illustrate  but  one  of  the 
attributes  or  inherent  desires  of  the  soul.  But  I 
think  we  may  see,  from  this  imperfect  outline,  the 
unlimited  amount  of  happiness  that  waits  for  the 
ransomed  spirit,  which  shall  be  derived  from  this 
one  susceptibility  of  our  spiritual  being,  viz.,  the  de 
sire  of  society,  and  of  the  reciprocated  confidence^ 
esteem,  and  love  of  those  with  whom  we  associate" 

At  this  moment,  little  Rosa  E.,  who,  having 
been  playing  in  the  grounds,  and  running  from  one 
hillock  to  another,  had  become  sufficiently  fatigued 
to  fall  asleep  on  a  parasol  and  handkerchief  at  the 
feet  of  her  mother,  now  rose.  She  seemed  half 
doubtful  where  she  was,  and  extending  her  hands 
to  her  mother,  buried  her  head  in  her  lap. 

"  Well,  Rosa,"  said  Mr.  F.,  "you  have  risen  just 
in  time  not  to  be  left  here  like  the  babes  in  the 
woods,  and  I  do  not  hear  many  birds  piping  around 
us,  who  would  make  you  a  leafy  bed  at  night,  and 
bring  you  wild  berries  to  eat  in  the  morning-.  And 
I  fear,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  turning  to  the  party, 
"  that  we  are  setting  a  strange  fashion  in  remaining 
so  long  in  these  grounds,  however  enticing  may  be 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          71 

their  groves  and  beautiful  monuments.      Shall   we 
seek  our  carriage  1" 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Mrs.  E.,  "  not  until  you  make  a 
promise  that  you  will  take  another  ride  to  MOUNT 
AUBURN,  and  let  us  be  gratified  by  your  further 
thoughts  upon  the  probable  sources  of  the  happi 
ness  of  the  saints.  We  thank  you  for  your  remarks 
thus  far,  and  they  give  us  the  determination,  if  not 
the  right,  of  having  the  rest." 

This  proposition  was  advocated  by  others  ;  and 
Miss  V.  said,  "  Certainly,  Mr.  F.  will  not  deny  us. 
We  have  several  more  days  marked  on  our  calen 
dar  for  Boston  ;  and  how  could  our  time  be  spent 
more  pleasantly  than  by  threading  these  grounds  a 
part  of  the  evening,  and  lingering  to  hear,  as  we 
have  heard,  of  the  happy  spirits  of  those  who  have 
left  their  remains  among  these  beautiful  shades  1" 

Mr.  F.,  of  course,  consented  to  accompany  the 
party  on  another  ride  to  MOUNT  AUBURN  ;  and  they 
were  soon  seen  moving  through  the  winding  paths 
which  led  to  the  portal  opening  of  the  grounds. 
They  entered  their  carriage,  and  by  a  drive  through 
Cambridge,  they  reached  the  Trernont  House,  in 
time  to  consult  their  toilet  for  tea. 


72          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 


SECTION    VI. 

THE  day  succeeding  our  visit  to  the  shaded 
grounds  of  MOUNT  AUBURN,  the  party  were  seen 
seated  in  their  carriages  for  their  afternoon  ride. 
There  was  but  one  silent  voice  as  to  the  course  that 
should  jbe  pursued,  and  in  a  short  time  they  were 
again  entering  the  grounds,  so  beautifully  laid  out 
for  the  final  repose  of  the  dead. 

Mr.  F.  had  been  observed  to  be  more  than  usually 
abstracted  during  the  ride,  as  he  was  generally  the 
first  to  catch  the  beautiful  of  the  way,  and  to  enli 
ven  the  party  by  his  playful  and  chaste  humour. 
It  may  have  been  that  his  mind  had  been  running 
on  solemn  subjects,  conscious  that,  to-day,  it  was 
expected  on  his  arrival  in  the  grounds  at  MOUNT 
AUBURN,  that  he  would  speak  of  the  things  associa 
ted  with  the  future  circumstances  of  the  soul ; 
whereas,  the  preceding  day  his  remarks  had  fallen, 
as  in  an  accidental  conversation.  Besides,  there 
were  others  who  had  joined  the  party  for  the  eve 
ning  ride ;  and  he  had  reason  to  think  that  it  had 
been  hinted  to  them  that  the  subject  of  the  yester 
day's  conversation  was  to  draw  from  Mr.  F.  some 
further  remarks,  that  evening.  Although  Mr.  F. 
was  ever  alive  to  the  wish  of  securing  every  oppor- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         73 

tunity  to  benefit  by  delighting  those  with  whom  he 
associated,  no  one  was  more  sensitive  as  to  pro 
priety  of  time  and  place  and  the  fitness  of  things. 
And  he  would  have  shrunk  from  the  occasion  of 
their  meeting  to-day,  had  it  not  come  in  the  fami 
liar  way  of  the  proposition  of  his  few  friends  the 
preceding  evening. 

The  party  had  leisurely  walked  through  the 
grounds  j  and  after  a  little  while  they  had  reached 
the  seats  which  a  part  of  them  had  occupied  the 
evening  before.  At  length  Mr.  F.,  with  Miss  V.  lean 
ing  on  his  arm,  approached  the  circle,  and  took  a 
vacant  seat  beside  Mrs.  E. — Miss  V.  placing  herself 
near  her  sister. 

u  There,"  said  Mr.  F.,  as  he  held  up  an  exquisite 
white  flower,  "  was  it  not  a  pity  to  destroy,  before 
its  hour,  so  much  beauty]  But  it  may  be  like  the 
early  death  of  some  young  geniuses,  whose  prema 
ture  departure  has  awakened  our  sympathies,  and 
called  forth  the  loveliness  and  the  beauty  of  their 
characters,  which  otherwise  might  never  have  been 
recorded,  at  least  in  such  a  way  as  to  win  our  love 
for  their  memory  and  deep-felt  sympathy  at  their 
end.  The  early  grave  of  HENRY  KIRK  WHITE  has 
more  certainly  immortalized  and  endeared  his 
memory  than  the  most  brilliant  specimens  of  genius 
would  have  done,  which  might  have  been  the  pro 
duct  of  a  maturer  age.  But,  so  it  was,"  continued 
Mr.  F.  in  an  altered  and  playful  tone,  "  Miss  V.  and 
7 


74          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

I  were  brushing  along,  rather  too  carelessly  for  the 
safety  of  this  said  lily,  which,  however,  as  some 
atonement,  we  have  brought  hither  that  we  may 
exhibit  its  young  beauties  to  a  number  of  its  kindred 
lily-cheek  gazers."  Here  Mr.  F.  carelessly  passed 
the  flower  to  a  very  pale-face  but  beautiful  young 
lady  who  sat  near  him,  and  with  whom  the  party 
had  become  acquainted  at  the  Tremont  House. 

"And  I  have  heard,"  said  the  lily-cheek  girl, 
"  that  they  think  a  young  lady  dying  with  the  con 
sumption  to  be  a  very  interesting  object.  Surely  I 
hope  that  the  premature  nipping  of  this  flower, 
Mr.  F.,  may  not  be  the  emblem  of  the  increase  of 
the  disease,  which  my  friends  are  fearful  may  be 
waiting  me." 

Mr.  F.,  for  a  moment,  regretted  the  disposition 
of  his  flower,  but  another  moment  persuaded  him, 
as  he  rested  his  eye  upon  the  speaker,  that  the 
apprehensions  of  her  friends  must  be  more  the 
result  of  affectionate  solicitudes  than  the  correct 
observation  of  the  developements  of  consumptive 
tendencies. 

"  It  is  a  beautiful  flower,"  at  length  added  Mrs. 
E.,  "  and  we  remember  your  remarks  at  the  Springs 
in  connection  with  a  bunch  of  them.  And  that 
reminds  us  of  what  we  are  expecting  from  you  this 
evening.  You  see  we  are  all  gathered  to  be  your 
listeners,  and  I  am  sure  we  shall  be  learners,  and — 

44  Delighted  and  obliged  disciples,"  rather  im- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         75 

politely,  but  playfully  and  modestly  interrupted 
Miss  V. 

Mr.  F.,  without  apology,  familiarly  began,  by 
saying,  "It  will  be  remembered  by  my  friends,  who 
were  here,  that  in  our  conversation  last  evening,  I 
suggested  a  few  things  illustrative  of  the  probable 
sources  of  enjoyment,  which  shall  open  to  the 
sanctified  spirit  in  heaven.  I  affirmed,  what  every 
one  knows  from  his  own  consciousness,  that  we 
are  constituted,  as  to  our  spiritual  being,  with  cer 
tain  desires  which  are  inherent  parts  of  our  nature, 
and  that  our  happiness  must  always  consist  in  the 
gratification  of  these  desires  or  susceptibilies  of 
our  continued  being,  as  truly  so  as  that  our  desire 
for  food,  when  we  are  hungry  in  this  life,  must  be 
gratified,  if  we  will  be  happy. 

"  I  specified  a  few  among  the  desires,  which  go 
to  make  up  the  inherent  elements  of  our  being — 
such,  for  instance,  as  the  desire  for  the  esteem  and 
affectionate  regard  of  those  with  whom  we  asso 
ciate,  which  we  all  know  to  be  an  inmate  of  every 
bosom.  Further,  the  desire  of  knowledge.  Our 
every  day's  inquiry,  "What  news  1"  which  is  as 
old  as  Athens  and  as  late  as  modern  meeting  of 
friends,  assures  us  of  the  truth,  that  this  is  another 
native  desire  of  the  soul.  And  to  mention  but  an* 
other,  we  all  desire  continued  and  immortal  exist 
ence. 

"  If  then  the  soul  shall  enter  heaven  with  these 


76          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

desires  of  our  spiritual  being  still  remaining-  a  part 
of  that  being,  we  see  that  our  happiness  in  heaven 
must  consist  in  the  gratification  of  these  desires, 
as  much  so  as  that  our  bodily  happiness  is  depend 
ent  on  having  our  appetite,  or  desire  for  food,  grati 
fied  here,  when  we  are  hungry.  Our  conclusion 
then  necessarily  was,  that  in  heaven  there  will  be 
found  sources  which  are  fit,  and  which  are  adapted 
and  intended  to  gratify  these  desires  wfiich  shall  re 
main  with  the  redeemed  and  immortal  spirit. 

"  I  then  went  on  to  specify  and  to  illustrate  the 
sources  for  gratifying  the  first  mentioned  of  these 
desires  of  our  natures,  that  is,  the  desire  of  society 
and  of  the  esteem  and  friendship  of  those  with 
whom  we  associate. 

"  We  at  once  perceive  that  this  desire  will  find 
its  fit  objects  in  heaven  to  yield  it  gratification  to 
the  fullest  extent,  by  the  familiar  and  intimate 
communion  and  affectionate  and  tender  friendship 
of  the  Redeemer — of  angels — and  the  saints,  con 
stituting  the  '  general  assembly  and  church  of  the 
first  born.' 

"But,  in  heaven,  we  shall  remain  the  same  intel 
lectual  beings,  in  our  constitution,  as  we  are  here, 
and,  by  consequence,  we  shall  possess  within  us  the 
desire  of  knowledge,  as  one  other  element  of  a  ran 
somed  and  immortal  spirit.  And  this  desire  remain 
ing,  as  one  element  of  our  spiritual  being,  we  see, 
that  to  be  completely  happy  in  heaven,  we  must 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.          77 

there    find  sources   and   means   for   its   gratifica 
tion. 

"  To  the  same  conclusion  the  language  of  the 
Scriptures  leads  us.  'We  shall  know  as  we  are 
known.'  '  We  shall  see  him  as  he  is.'  And  then 
the  whole  Scripture  account  of  the  worship,  praise 
and  adoration,  which  a  saved  spirit  is  described  as 
rendering  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb,  necessarily 
supposes  that  this  worship  is  rendered  and  given 
as  the  result  of  the  perception  of  intelligent  minds, 
that  the  Lamb  is  worthy  of  all  this  praise  and  love 
and  glory.  But  to  know  this,  we  as  ransomed  spi 
rits  must  see  the  grounds  of  the  merit,  in  a  moral 
point  of  view,  and  the  reasons  for  the  praises  so 
justly  accorded  to  the  Eternal  Being,  throughout 
eternal  ages.  It  is  not  a  blind  service.  It  is  not  a 
reasonless  devotion.  It  is  not  a  praise  based  on 
unperceived  grounds  which  shall  swell  the  songs  of 
the  ransomed,  and  give  emphasis  and  depth  to  the 
tones  of  that  love  and  adoration,  that  shall  wake 
the  harps  of  intellectual  as  well  as  holy  beings. 
And  although,  in  the  language  already  quoted,  we 
shall  'know  as  we  are  known,'  it  implies  not  but 
that  there  will  open  before  the  opening  minds  of  in 
tellectual  spirits,  in  heaven,  fields  of  increasing 
knowledge,  and  yet,  throughout  eternity,  for  ever 
unfathomed  depths  of  thought.  For,  angels,  holy 
and  heaven  born  and  intellectual  as  they  are,  and 
represented  as  far  in  advance  of  human  souls,  are 
7* 


78          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

yet  described  as  desirous  of  gaining  new  know 
ledge  ;  and  they  were  gaining  it  when  represented 
as  {  desirous  of  looking  into  the  things'  that  pertain 
to  the  plan  of  salvation. 

"  What,  then,  I  would  ask,*  continued  Mr.  F., 
'will  be  some  of  the  sources,  which  shall  gratify 
this  further  innate  susceptibility  of  our  souls,  viz. 
the  desire  for  increased  and  ever  increasing  know 
ledge  ?" 

"  Why,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  "  as  I  was  saying 
last  evening,  we  shall  there  have  the  society  of 
angels,  beings  exalted  in  intellect,  and  excelling  in 
purity  of  character,  as  much  as  they  are  elevated 
in  knowledge.  And  besides  this  innumerable  num 
ber  of  a  holy  race  of  moral  and  intellectual  exist 
ences,  we  shall  have  the  society  of  the  thousands 
and  tens  of  thousands  of  the  redeemed  of  our  own 
race,  who  shall  have  been  'gathered  from  every 
tongue  and  nation  and  people  of  this,  our  once  in 
habited,  but  then,  re-chaotic  earth.  Amid  the  so 
ciety  of  such  companions,  as  the  angels,  beings  so 
far  advanced  before  us  in  knowledge — and,  so 
far  as  our  own  race  is  concerned,  with  minds  of 
every  grade  and  with  every  variety  of  composition 
as  to  ideas — gathered,  too,  from  separate  portions 
and  different  circumstances  of  our  earth,  what  more 
shall  we  need,  besides  such  circumstances  of  our 
heavenly  residence  and  association  among  such 
beings,  for  the  gratification  of  our  desire  for  know- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         79 

ledge  1  Believe  me,'  said  Mr.  F.,  after  a  little 
pause,  '  I  am  not  on  merely  poetic  ground  here.  It 
is  not  mere  imagination,  but  to  my  mind  the  so 
berest  deductions  from  Scripture  truth,  and  the  ne 
cessary  conclusion  which  we  must  come  to  from  a 
knowledge  of  our  own  being,  and  the  future  cir 
cumstances  of  this  our  being,  as  revealed  in  the 
word  of  God.  If  this  society  of  angels  and  saints 
is  to  be  the  future  circumstances  of  intelligent  and 
yet  not  omniscient  beings,  we  take  it  as  a  proba 
bility,  which  needs  no  confirmation  to  render  it  a 
fact,  that  beings  so  situated  as  associate  spirits, 
must  and  will  have  mental  communion  with  each 
other.  And  having  this  mental  communion,  we  at 
once  see  that  there  opens  a  wide  field  for  the  grat 
ification  of  this  desire  of  our  souls  for  knowledge, 
contributing  its  consequent  wisdom  and  pleasure. 
Is  it  fiction,  think  you,  that  we  shall  there  meet 
the  patriarchs  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and 
their  progenitors,  and  the  successors  of  the  pro 
phets  1  Is  it  a  fictitious  hope  and  but  a  romantic 
dream  which  lights  up  the  Christian's  anticipation, 
that  in  one  of  those  eras  which  shall  stretch  with 
out  beginning  and  end  down  the  eternity  of  an 
immortal  existence — is  it  a  delusive  persuasion 
though  a  welcome  and  cherished  thought,  that  we 
shall  meet  a  David,  the  king  of  the  sacred  lyre  as 
well  as  the  king  of  Israel  1  Shall  the  Christian  not 
know  the  gifted  Paul  1  Shall  he  not  know  the 


80          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

sainted  John  1  Shall  he  not  know  the  energetic 
Peter — and  Luke,  the  beloved  physician,  and  others 
and  all  of  the  apostles — and  Mary  the  mother  of 
Jesus — and  other  saints  and  martyrs,  in  ages  both 
before  and  in  ages  since  the  Christian  era  1  Saint 
Paul  tells  us  that  Christians  are  '  with  Christ.' 
His  language  is,  '  to  depart  and  to  be  with  Christ,' 
and  consequently  with  one  another,  c  is  far  better.' 
And  the  Saviour  says,  with  fearful  accent  now  to 
the  unrenewed  as  he  did  to  the  unrepenting  Jews 
when  he  carried  their  thoughts  on  to  the  judg 
ment  day  :  '  There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnash 
ing  of  teeth  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets  in  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  you  yourselves  thrust  out.  And  they 
shall  come  from  the  east,  and  from  the  west,  and 
from  the  north,  and  from  the  south,  and  shall  sit 
down  in  the  kingdom  of  God.'  This  language 
then  sufficiently  assures  us  that  the  expectation  of 
the  Christian  is  not  a  mere  poetic  fancy,  but,  in 
heaven,  we  shall  have  the  meeting,  the  familiar 
meeting,  and  communion,  and  companionship  of 
the  master-spirits  of  those  ages  which  have  gone 
before  us,  who  shall  have  given  their  hearts  to 
God  on  the  terms,  which  he  has  made  the  condi 
tion  of  entering  the  abodes  of  the  blessed. 

"  And,  once  placed  among  this  innumerable 
number  from  every  age,  and  clime,  and  tongue,  we 
perceive  from  these  circumstances  alone  of  a  happy 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         81 

spirit  in  heaven,  that  there  opens  before  him  one 
field  of  inexhaustible  intelligence,  and  a  grateful  op 
portunity  for  gratifying1  this  thirst  of  the  soul  for 
knowledge  and  the  acquisition  of  something  new, 
which  shall  give  delight  to  the  intelligent  and  in 
quisitive  spirit  of  an  immortal  being. 

"  What  a  collection  of  ideas,"  continued  Mr.  F., 
raising  himself  in  his  seat  in  a  way  that  showed 
that  his  mind  was  becoming  excited  by  the  enkin 
dling  theme,  u  what  a  collection  of  ideas  shall  be 
amassed  by  these  vast  and  happy  millions,  gathered 
into  the  '  many  mansions/  from  every  age  and 
tongue  and  nation  of  this  world,  and  from  every 
era  of  its  time  1  There  and  then,  like  the  fabled 
Jew,  said  to  have  wandered  upon  this  earth  ever 
since  the  days  of  Christ,  each  sanctified  spirit  may, 
in  reality,  live  through  all  these  ages,  and  through 
all  ages  from  the  creation.  For,  there  will  be  at 
his  side,  as  familiar  companions,  spirits  of  different 
periods  in  time,  and  from  different  points  in  place, 
throughout  the  existence  and  the  extent  of  our 
world,  who  with  the  freedom  and  interest  of  friends 
will  communicate  the  events  of  their  day  and  the 
characteristics  of  the  era  that  dated  their  existence 
upon  this  then  departed  earth.  It  is  no  fiction  that 
a  ransomed  spirit  may  there  meet  the  patriarch, 
who  for  a  hundred  and  forty  years  preached  to  a 
corrupted  world,  and  with  his  children  was  rescued 
from  the  deluge  that  overwhelmed  a  world  of  sin- 


82          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

ners.  And  would  not  the  tale  that  he  could  tell  be 
worthy  of  the  ear  of  an  immortal  being,  as  illustra 
ting  the  justice,  and  the  mercy  too,  of  a  holy,  and 
righteous,  and  inviting,  and  entreating,  and  forbear 
ing  God  1  Thus  it  is,  there  shall  be  presented  be 
fore  the  happy  spirit,  in  heaven,  thirsting  for  know 
ledge  and  delighted  by  its  attainment,  a  living  his 
tory  of  all  ages  gone  before  him  on  the  earth,  and 
of  the  ages  that  shall  come  after  him.  And  before 
him  stretches  an  eternity,  through  which  he  may 
read  it.  Not  as  here  on  earth,  cut  off  ere  he  can 
acquire  the  story  of  but  a  few  particulars,  which, 
at  best,  he  traces  in  the  imperfect  records  of  the 
past,  and  divested  of  the  accuracy  and  vividness 
with  which  an  eye-witness  would  present  them. 
The  time  and  the  unnarrated  incidents  of  the  time 
of  those  men,  whose  writings  have  been  our  guide 
and  direction  in  the  way  of  salvation,  and  which 
have  been  our  consolation  and  the  source  of  the 
hope  that  sustains  the  soul  of  the  Christian  in  his 
last  conflict,  shall  be,  to  the  spirit  redeemed  from 
our  age,  as  familiar  as  we  can  now  be  with  the 
events  of  the  days  of  our  immediate  forefathers. 
And  who  of  us,  while  we  have  been  carried  back 
to  the  period  of  the  apostles,  have  not  felt  that  an 
acquaintance  with  them  and  other  memorable  cha 
racters  of  ages,  before  and  since  the  apostolic  day, 
would  yield  untold  delight,  and  the  choicest  pleas 
ures,  while  it  would  augment  our  knowledge, 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         83 

in  connection  with  the  incidents  and  occurrences 
of  the  eras  in  which  they  lived1." 

Mr.  F.,  after  a  moment's  pause,  resumed  :  "  But 
should  any  one  suppose  that  the  incidents  of  this 
earth  will  be  too  insignificant  to  attract  the  future 
thoughts,  and  interest  the  future  feelings  of  a  spirit 
saved,  we  will  see  the  probable  incorrectness  of 
such  an  impression,  when  we  remember  that  every 
event  of  this  world  has  a  direct  bearing  in  illustra 
ting  the  government  of  God  over  offending  subjects 
and  over  his  moral  universe.  It  is  in  connection 
with  our  actions  in  this  life,  and  the  dealings  of 
God  with  us  as  responsible  beings,  amid  the  occur 
rences  of  this  world,  which  shall  enable  his  intelli 
gent  worshippers  to  seethe  forbearance  of  his  mer 
cy,  the  intensity  of  his  love,  and  the  sincerity  of 
his  invitations  to  a  lost  world,  to  avail  itself  of  eter 
nal  happiness,  and  thus  to  evince  to  them  and  the 
universe  the  justice  of  his  dealings  over  his  crea 
tures,  and  wake  from  the  intelligent  perception  of 
his  children,  who  shall  be  redeemed,  a  note  of  praise 
and  admiration  and  love,  based  on  the  intelligent 
perception  that  the  '  Lord  of  the  whole  earth  doeth 
right: 

"  Here  then,  in  this  vast  community  of  the  saved 
from  all  ages,  and  nations,  and  tongues,  and  with 
angels  as  beings  of  exalted  intellect  and  purity  of 
character,  there  will  open  a  field  of  knowledge  and 
consequent  pleasure  to  the  deathless  soul  of  man, 
unlimited  and  eternal. 


84         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

"  But  this  companionship  with  saints  from  every 
land  and  tongue,  and  with  angels  exalted  in  intel 
ligence  and  purity  of  character,  is  not  the  only 
source,  nor  probably  will  compare  with  many  other 
sources  of  knowledge  which  shall  open,  in  heaven, 
to  the  redeemed  from  the  earth.  We  may  justly 
suppose,  as  the  soul  shall  expand  in  its  high  attain 
ments,  that  new  fields  of  knowledge,  there,  shall 
spread  before  it,  to  give  food  to  this  immortal 
longing  of  our  being,  wrhich  increases  in  the  in 
tensity  of  its  desire  in  the  proportion  as  the  mind 
gains  new  stores  to  its  possessions. 

"  But  the  delightful  reflection  to  the  Christian 
is,  that  all  this  accumulated  knowledge  shall  be  a 
continued  and  unending  source  of  pleasure  to  the 
soul  redeemed.  It  shall  wake  new  gratitude  in  the 
bosom  of  the  saint  to  his  God,  as  his  creator — new 
love  to  him,  as  his  friend — new  devotion  and  ad 
miration  as  the  God  of  power  and  of  wisdom,  who 
has  so  formed  us,  and  so  formed  all  existences, 
that  they  tend  to  fitness  and  to  happiness.  Every 
hour  of  the  Christian's  ceaseless  existence  shall  lay 
open  before  his  admiring  and  adoring  spirit,  facts, 
with  their  connection  and  their  relations,  which 
shall  show  God  to  be  the  just,  and  the  merciful, 
and  the  benevolent  and  the  wise  Creator,  who  has 
concerted  and  who  desired  the  bliss  of  all,  as 
well  as  the  bliss  of  those  who  for  ever  shall  sur 
round  his  throne.  And  the  Eternal  would  have 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 


85 


secured  the  endless  happiness  of  all,  if  men  and 
devils  had  acted  out  their  part,  as  they  might  have 
done,  and  as  their  'gratitude,  and  their  interests, 
and  their  privilege  should  have  prompted  them  to 
do.  All  things  in  another  world  shall  affirm  this 
and  render  it  plain,  as  it  is  now  and  here  declared 
by  God's  promises  and  threatenings,  and  godlike 
acts  of  forbearance  and  mercy.  The  Christian,  in 
heaven,  shall  see  it,  and  know  it.  And  from  his 
intelligent  and  clear  perception  of  these  facts,  in 
God's  works  of  grace  and  of  creation,  the  sainted 
spirit  shall  wake  his  harp  anew;  and  again,  and 
again,  and  yet  again  admire,  and  adore,  and  love, 
as  he  sweeps  its  chords  in  delightful  worship  of 
his  God. 

"  But,"  said  Mr.  F.,  and  here  his  voice  was  low 
ered  to  a  note  of  unaffected  melancholy  and  Chris 
tian  sympathy,  which  showed  that  he  felt  the  emo 
tion,  "  it  is  not  so  with  the  lost.  Their  knowledge, 
too,  must  ever  increase  like  the  acquisitions  of  the 
saints  in  heaven.  For  they  will  also  be  associated 
with  spirits  from  every  age,  and  nation,  and  time, 
and  with  devils,  yet  intelligent,  though  fallen  from 
the  virtue  of  their  character,  by  disobedience  to 
their  God.  But  their  acquisitions  of  every  new 
idea,  gained  in  their  circumstances  as  associates 
of  lost  spirits  from  every  age,  and  with  a  race  of 
yet  higher  though  fallen  existences,  shall  but  in 
crease  their  capacity  for  intenser  suffering  in  a 
8 


86          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

world  of  wo.  Each  new  idea  they  shall  gain,  will 
throw  a  beam  of  additional  light  on  the  consisten 
cy  of  God's  government — on  his  righteousness,  and 
the  tender  mercies  of  his  dealings — a  God,  who 
never  injured  them,  nor  wished  them  harm,  and 
only  sought  their  happiness — a  God,  who  pointed 
out  to  them  the  way  of  bliss,  and  urged  them,  by 
every  motive  of  interest  and  gratitude,  to  avail 
themselves  of  a  salvation  which  cost  him  suffer 
ings  as  their  benevolent  friend,  to  enable  him,  in 
view  of  his  moral  government,  to  give  it  them  on 
the  conditions  on  which  it  is  offered.  The  lost 
spirit  in  the  world  of  wo  shall  then  see,  if  it  never 
saw  before,  as  the  dealings  of  God  shall  open  be 
fore  him,  that  a  sincerer  desire  never  occupied  the 
bosom  of  his  Creator  than  that  which  pompted  the 
invitation,  '  Ho  !  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come 
ye  to  the  waters  j'  or  than  filled  with  tears  of  pity 
and  love  the  compassionate  eye  of  Jesus  Christ,  as 
he  hung  over  the  wretched  Jerusalem  and  gave 
forth,  in  bitterest  lament,  '  How  oft  would  I  have 
gathered  thee,  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  brood  under 
her  wings,  and  ye  would  not?  Through  that  long 
and  to  them  dark  eternity,  a  lost  spirit  shall  know 
and  feel  that  there  was  not  a  day  of  his  mortal  exist 
ence,  when  he  might  not  have  complied  with  the 
terms  of  an  endless  happiness,  and  thus  have  se 
cured  and  enjoyed  the  enduring  favour  and  friend 
ship  of  his  God,  as  was  urged  upon  him,  times 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         87 

many  and  often,  during  a  wasted  life,  and  by  every 
consideration  derived  from  the  joys  of  a  promis 
ed  heaven  and  the  sorrows  of  a  threatened  hell. 
The  conviction  shall  flash  and  shall  abide  upon  his 
soul,  from  a  full  and  intelligent  perception  of  his 
Maker's  ever  kind  dealings  with  him  and  his  uni 
verse,  that  while  he  was  flirting  in  a  thoughtless 
world  with  a  thoughtless  mind,  the  bosom  of  his 
God  was  yearning  over  him  as  a  parent's,  and  that 
he  often,  in  various  ways,  heard  the  language  drop 
from  the  lips  of  godlike  pity,  *  Turn  ye,  turn  ye, 
for  why  will  ye  die  V  And  forgive  me,  my  friends, 
when  I  say  it,"  added  Mr.  F.  in  a  tone  of  endearing 
and  thrilling  kindness,  as  he  contemplated  the  cir 
cle  then  around  him,  "  should  it  be  the  calamity  of 
any  one  of  your  number  to  die,  thoughtless,  with 
the  proffered  friendship  of  an  indulgent  God  un 
secured,  such  a  spirit  in  the  world  of  wo  will  then, 
and  there,  think.  Thought  shall  there  be  the  lost 
spirit's  chief  curse — intelligent,  clear,  unclouded 
thought,  which  shall  show  the  finally  miserable, 
that  they  have  been  their  own  suicides  of  their  own 
souls.  Yes,  it  shall  embitter  all  their  endless  years 
— years  of  their  yet  intelligent  and  rational  though 
lost  souls,  THOUGHT  !  For  k  is  their  menial  being 
that  shall  there  yet  live.  And  it  shall  be  their  wo — 
their  bitter  wo — the  gnawing  worm — the  sting  of 
an  enlightened,  intelligent,  thinking  conscience. 
Happy  spirits,  indeed,  could  they  then  annihilate 


88  ELLA   V.,    OR   THE   JULY   TOTTK. 

the  power  of  thinking,  and  there  live  thoughtless 
as  they  have  lived  here.  But  the  wo  will  then  be 
on  them — a  wo,  worse  than  the  stings  of  injured 
honour — worse  than  the  stings  of  blasted  fame — 
worse  than  the  conscious  degradation  of  merited 
shame.  And  it  shall  be  like  the  weight  of  moun 
tains  pressing  on  self-smitten  spirits,  while  they 
shall  waste  with  untold  sorrows  in  a  rayless  and 
hopeless,  and  endless  despair ! 

"  Would  to  God  this  were  fiction !"  added  Mr. 
F.,  after  a  short  and  solemn  pause.  "So  could  I 
desire  it,  sometimes,  when  looking  at  some  of  my 
friends,  in  view  of  their  onward  and  fearful  pros 
pects,  while  I  see  them  uncheered  by  the  hopes  of 
the  Christian.  But  the  reality  glares  me  in  the 
face  as  I  read  the  language  of  the  Eternal,  both  in 
bis  word  and  in  the  constitution  of  my  own  nature. 

"  May  it,  my  friends,"  said  Mr.  F.,  as  he  ended 
these  reflections,  "  make  us  most  active,  in  our 
exertions  for  the  salvation  of  those  endeared  to  us 
by  the  ties  of  kindred  and  friendship." 

No  one  of  the  party  felt  disposed  to  break  the 
spell  which  the  earnest,  and  affectionate,  and  per 
spicuous  language  of  Mr.  F.  had  left  on  the  minds 
of  the  whole  circle.  They  felt  that  there  was  truth 
in  what  he  had  said,  in  the  very  nature  of  the 
things  about  which  he  had  been  speaking,  and  that 
it  personally  interested  themselves.  And  there 
was  more  than  one  heart  that  evinced  the  depth  of 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         89 

its  emotion,  in  an  audible  sigh,  which  betrayed  it 
self  in  the  deep  stillness  of  the  moment  that  succeed 
ed  the  termination  of  Mr.  F.'s  remarks. 

"  We  are  indebted  to  you,  Mr.  F.,  for  the  plea 
sure  of  this  conversation,"  said  Mrs.  E.,  at  length 
breaking  the  silence,  "  and  are  surprised  as  well  as 
delighted  that  you  should  have  said  so  much,  and 
separately  on  these  two  distinct  desires  of  our  spir 
itual  being.  We  feel  assured,  from  your  illustra 
tions,  that  these  elements  of  the  soul,  which  go  with 
others  to  constitute  our  being,  shall  attend  us  to 
another  world,  and  that  there  will  be  enough  there, 
to  yield  an  eternal  gratification  to  our  desires  for 
society  and  knowledge.  But  there  is  another  de 
sire  to  which  you  have  alluded — the  desire  of  con 
tinued  and  immortal  existence.  We  should  be  cruel 
to  ask  you  to  extend  your  remarks  on  this  subject, 
at  this  time,  but  may  we  not  hope  for  one  more  ride 
to  this  lovely  retreat ;  which  I  am  sure  none  of 
us  will  forget  in  our  future  associations  connected 
with  another  world  1" 

The  mornings  having  been  already  designated 
for  rides  into  other  parts  of  the  interesting  neigh 
bourhood  about  Boston,  Mount  Auburn,  by  gene 
ral  desire,  was  considered  as  the  spot  for  their  next 
afternoon's  excursion. 

"  You  said,  Mr.  F.,  when  alluding  to  the  convic 
tions  of  lost  spirits  in  another  world,  this  evening, 
that  through  a  long,  and  to  them  a  dark  eternity, 
8* 


90         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR 

they  should  know  and  feel  that  there  was  not  a  day 
of  their  mortal  existence  when  they  might  not 
have  complied  with  the  terms  of  an  endless  happi 
ness,  and  thus  have  secured  and  enjoyed  the  endu 
ring  favour  and  friendship  of  their  God." 

This  was  addressed  by  Miss  V.  to  Mr.  F.,  as 
she  was  leaning  on  his  arm,  while  they  were  now 
walking  through  the  grounds  after  the  circle  had 
broken  up,  and  were  severally  seeking  objects  to 
amuse  them,  previous  to  their  evening's  return-ride 
to  Boston. 

"  I  have  sometimes  felt,"  continued  Miss  V., 
"  that  I  would  be  willing  to  make  any  sacrifice,  and 
to  give  worlds,  were  they  mine,  could  I  become  a 
Christian.  But  how  can  II  I  know,  and  I  feel, 
that  I  must  for  ever  be  unhappy  unless  I  become  a 
disciple  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  I  cannot  help  myself 
— how  can  I  V9  she  asked,  as  her  voice  trembled 
with  emotion,  and  her  head  dropped  to  conceal  the 
involuntary  flow  of  her  tears. 

"  Ella,"  said  Mr.  F.,  as  he  paused  a  moment  and 
let  his  eye,  in  tenderest  sympathy,  rest  upon  her 
moistened  features,  while  the  tears  stole  in  succes 
sion  from  her  cheek,  "  do  you  think  that  God  asks 
from  you  impossibilities  \  Does  he  command  im 
practicabilities  1  Has  he  not  evinced  the  interest 
of  a  friend  and  the  tenderness  of  a  father,  in  the 
expressions  of  his  word,  and  by  demonstration  in 
his  action  1  Why  did  Jesus  Christ  die  1  Was  it  not 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         91 

that  God  might  pardon  you  on  the  terms  of  the  gos 
pel  1  Are  those  terms,  then,  such  that  you  cannot, 
as  you  say,  comply  with  them  1  Why  does  the 
Holy  Ghost  strive  with  you,  melting  your  heart  to 
tears  in  view  of  your  responsibilities  and  neglect 
of  surrendering  your  heart  to  hirnl  Is  it  not  to  in 
duce  you,  by  all  the  considerations  brought  to  bear 
upon  you,  thus  to  surrender  your  heart  to  God! 
Is  it  then  an  impossibility  for  you  to  surrender  that 
heart  1  Does  the  Holy  Ghost  persuade  you  to  an 
impossibility  ?  Surely  not.  It  is  the  wish  of  your 
God — it  is  the  wish  of  your  Saviour — it  is  the  wish 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  you  will  at  once  become  a 
disciple  of  Christ,  and  give  up  your  heart  to  him, 
to  be  his  future  follower.  The  whole  plan  of  the 
gospel  contemplates  this  consecration  of  yourself 
to  your  Lord  and  Saviour.  The  object  of  the  minis 
try  is  to  persuade  you  to  it.  If  then  you  are  wil 
ling  thus  to  devote  yourself,  in  such  full  purpose 
of  your  heart,  as  shall  control  you  in  future 
obedience  and  love  towards  this  Saviour,  then  are 
you  this  day  at  the  point  of  feeling  where  the  Holy 
Ghost,  during  the  past  of  your  life,  has  been  ope 
rating  upon  your  heart  with  endeavour  to  bring  you. 
What  then  shall  any  longer  hinder  your  purpose  to 
surrender  that  heart  to  your  God,  and  thus  to  be 
come  his  obedient  child  1" 

The  two  resumed  their  walk,  slowly  and  silent 
ly  for  a  short  distance,  when  Miss  V.  recovered 


92  ELLA   V.,    OR   THE   JULY   TOTJR. 

herself  sufficiently  to  ask,  "  How  shall  I  make  this 
surrender  of  myself  to  God  1  I  have  thought  that 
God,  by  his  Spirit,  in  some  way,  though  mysteri 
ously,  and  at  his  own  time,  would  make  me  a 
Christian,  and  that  in  submission  to  his  purposes 
I  must  wait  and  pray  for  his  coming.  Therefore, 
your  remark,  that  the  lost  spirit  would  see  in  ano 
ther  world  that  no  day  passed  in  his  mortal  exist 
ence  when  he  might  not  have  become  an  obedi 
ent  disciple  of  Jesus  Christ,  struck  me  as  peculiar, 
and  has  awakened  in  my  feelings  a  new  hope,  if  it 
is  true,  and  a  wish,  that  this  day  may  be  to  me  the 
one  when  I  shall  have  made  this  surrender  of  my 
heart  to  God.  And  I  plainly  see,  that  if  I  may  do 
this,  then  much  that  I  have  before  thought  to  be 
severe  in  the  character  of  God,  was  the  result  of 
my  misconception  of  the  truth,  and  that  he  now 
appears  the  kinder  and  sincerer  Being  when  of 
fering  his  invitations  from  his  word,  as  you  have 
feelingly  represented  him." 

"Miss  V.,".  said  Mr.  F.,  "I  am  aware  that  your 
feelings  are  not  peculiar.  I  recur  back  to  the  mo 
ment,  when  my  own  mind  was  excited  on  the  sub 
jects  of  my  future  interests  and  obligations  to  my 
God,  and  I  longed  for  his  friendship  and  forgive 
ness.  The  difficulties  which  I  perceive  you  feel, 
I  felt.  And  I  have  conversed  with  many,  very 
many,  who  in  a  similar  state  of  solicitude  have 
cherished  like  impressions,  and  felt  like  difficulties 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         93 

to  be  in  the  way  of  their  becoming  the  sincere  fol 
lowers  of  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  But  they  had  not 
clear  conceptions  as  to  what  was  the  thing  requir 
ed  of  them  to  be  done  on  their  part,  not  in  the  way 
of  merit,  as  if  any  thing  they  could  do  would  re 
commend  them  to  God,  but  which  must  be  done 
by  them  in  the  very  nature  of  the  change  to  be 
effected.  Had  they  perceived  it,  they,  in  their 
then  state  of  feeling,  would  have  been  willing  to 
do  it.  Had  I  perceived  it,  I  should  earlier  have 
gained,  in  reliance  on  the  sure  promises  of  God,  a 
persuasion  of  his  acceptance  of  the  consecration 
of  a  heart  to  him,  in  obedience  to  his  command, 
*  My  son,  give  me  thy  heart.'  Did  not  God  in 
tend  that  the  sinner  should  comply  with  this  com 
mand,  when  he  issued  it  1  Did  he  design  that  there 
should  be  any  delay  about  it  ^  Is  it  to-day  or  to 
morrow  on  which  he  expects  us  to  yield  to  him  our 
devotion,  our  love,  our  plighted  faith  1  It  is  now 
if  ever.  And  why  not  1  If  he  is  sincere  in  his  in 
vitations,  entreaties,  commands,  and  threatenings, 
they  relate  to  the  present  moment,  and  not  to  the 
morrow.  And  his  desire  that  we  will  return  to 
him  is  as  sincere,  this  hour,  as  it  can  ever  be.  He 
wishes  us  not  to  remain  in  disobedience,  when  he 
forbids  that  disobedience.  He  wishes  us  not  to 
remain  another  hour  from  him,  when  he  invites  us 
this  hour,  and  now,  to  come  to  him.  Does  not  the 
conviction  of  your  mind  in  view  of  this  represen- 


94         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

tation  of  the  good  pleasure  of  God,  assure  you, 
Miss  V.,  that  '  now  is  the  accepted  time,'  and 
may  be  ( the  day  of  salvation  V 

"  That  such  is  the  language  of  the  Bible,"  replied 
MissV.,  "and  such  the  pleasure  of  God,  who  desires 
the  salvation  of  his  erring  children,  I  cannot  longer 
doubt,  and  am  surprised  that  I  could  otherwise 
have  thought,  in  view  of  the  expressions  of  his 
word,  a  number  of  which  you  have  now  repeated, 
and  did  before  repeat,  in  the  conversation  of  this 
evening.  But  how  is  the  heart  to  be  given  to  God," 
continued  Miss  V.,  "  as  it  would  seem  that  it  may  be 
done.  My  own  is  an  adamant  ;  and  yet  I  feel  that 
I  desire  his  love  above  any  thing  else ;  and  with  the 
assurance  of  his  favour  I  could  meet  the  calami 
ties  of  life,  whatever  they  might  be,  and  die  with 
out  regret,  were  I  confident  of  reaching  the  bless 
edness  of  that  heaven,  which  has  occupied  your 
conversation  this  evening." 

The  swelling  heart  of  the  young  lady  again 
gave  vent  to  its  emotions,  and  she  wept  audibly,  as 
the  two  moved  slowly  forward  in  their  path.  The 
party  had  already  advanced  nearly  to  the  gateway 
of  the  grounds,  some  distance  from  the  spot  where 
the  two  friends  were  exchanging  their  thoughts, 
on  a  subject  so  thrilling  in  its  relations  to  the  eter 
nal  interests  of  the  deathless  soul. 

"  Miss  V.,"  said  Mr.  F.,  "  you  have  asked,  <  HOW 
is  this  heart  to  be  given  to  God  V  We  can  pause 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        95 

but  a  moment  longer  here.      But  allow  me  briefly 
to  counsel  you.     You  feel,    at   this   moment,  that 
you  have  too  long,  although  you  are  yet  young, 
withheld  your  heart  from  God.      Had  the  impres 
sions  made  on  your  mind  been  different  from  what 
they  were,  maybe  that  heart  had  earlier  been  given 
to  your  Saviour.    If  I  mistake  not,  you  see  and  feel 
that  it  is  your  privilege  and  your  duty  to  do  so, 
now.     Let  me  then  request  of  you,  on  your  return 
this  evening,  that  you  will  seek  your  chamber.    An 
hour  will  be  left  you  for  your  meditation.     Devote 
it  to  your  God.      Think  of  the  relations  that  exist 
between  him  and  your  soul.      He  has  made  you, 
and  blessed  you,  and  asked  your  love  in  return,  to 
be  manifested  by  your  obedience  to  the  principles 
of  his  word,  as  the  course    which  will   make  you 
most  happy  here,  and  give  you  full  felicity  hereaf 
ter.    Think  how  seldom  that  God  has  had  your  med 
itation  upon  his  goodness,  his  greatness,  his  purity, 
his  eternity.     How  seldom  has  gratitude  awakened 
in  your  bosom  for    his  mercy,   and  for  the  gifts 
of  this  world,  abundant  as  they  have  been  to  you, 
and  of  the  provision  of  salvation  he  has  made  for 
you,    if   secured  by  a  compliance  with  its  terms, 
which  shall  yield  you,  although  you  have  offended 
him,  eternal  blessedness.     Think  of  the  particulars 
that  go  to  make  up  the  affecting  story  of  the  Bible. 
It  tells  you,  what  you  feel  to  be  the  truth,  that  you 
are  a  sinner  by  transgressing  his  proper,  and  there- 


96          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR, 

fore  holy,  law.  It  tells  you  of  hell — think  of  it,  as  I 
have  supposed  it  will  be  constituted  in  the  eternal 
world — the  place  of  the  lost,  for  their  crimes  and 
continued  impenitence,  from  all  places  and  all  time ; 
and  of  fallen  angelic  and  malignant  spirits — the 
murderer — the  assassin — the  highwayman — the 
pirate — the  liar — the  blasphemer — and  whatsoever 
loveth  and  maketh  a  lie — and  the  lover  of  this  world 
more  than  the  lover  of  God.  Then  think,  in  contrast, 
of  heaven — its  happy  and  pure  mansions — the  resi 
dence  of  the  blessed — the  pure  and  holy — angelic 
hosts — and  sainted  spirits  of  our  earth,  from  all  time 
and  place — enjoying  the  familiar  friendship  and 
communion  of  its  happy  inhabitants,  and  of  its  God, 
and  the  Saviour,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  Then  think 
of  the  grave — its  coldness — dreariness — silence — 
dust — and  nearness.  It  may  be  our  resting  place 
to-morrow,  and  as  it  shall  find  us  Christians  in  our 
purposes  and  action,  or  woldlings  in  our  feelings 
and  aims,  so  will  we  for  ever  continue  the  saint  or 
the  sinner,  and,  as  the  consequence,  be  for  ever 
miserable  or  happy.  Then  think  of  the  friendship 
of  Christ.  Is  it  not  worth  having  1  Is  it  not  worth 
sacrificing  much  for,  if  our  becoming  a  Christian 
will  involve  us  in  sacrifice!  Some  have  to  make 
a  sacrifice  in  this  world — some  more,  some  less. 
Some  are  even  banished  by  their  friends,  disinher 
ited.  Yours  are  Christian,  and  will  rejoice  in  the 
surrender  of  your  heart  to  God.  Count  up  all  that 


ELLA   V.,    OR   THE   JOLY   TOtJK,  97 

you  will  have  to  contend  with.  If  you  take  the 
purpose  henceforth  to  be  a  follower  of  Jesus  Christ, 
you  will  have  to  contend  with  some  things.  It 
will  be  known  by  companions.  It  must  be  known 
to  the  world.  It  must  be  unostentatiously  declared 
before  the  world.  'He  that  confesses  me  before 
men,  him  will  I  also  confess  before  my  Father  who 
i-s  in  heaven.  He  that  denieth  me  before  men,  him 
will  I  also  deny  before  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven.' 
'  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me.'  Count  up  the 
cost.  Count  up  the  gain- — the  loss  and  the  gain 
both  for  this  and  the  coming  life.  And  then,  in 
view  of  all  these  things,  decide.  If  you  decide  to 
delay,  I  have  nothing  more  to  say  here,  but  may 
weep  for  you  hereafter.  If  you  shall  decide,  that 
henceforth  you  will  go  forward  as  a  disciple  of  Jesus 
Christ — then  let  your  decision  be  full,  unchangeable, 
final.  Hesitate  not  to  make  the  decision  from  any 
fear  of  insincerity.  It  is  a  right  decision.  God 
commands  it  and  desires  it.  So  does  your  Saviour, 
and  he  is  ready  to  accept  it.  It  is  the  thing  that 
the  Holy  Ghost  has  long  urged,  and  feelingly,  as 
your  tears  this  evening  have  declared,  and  it  will 
delight  the  heart  of  angels,  if  you  make  it. 

"  If  this  be  the  purpose  which  you  will  now  form, 
take  the  decision  wrhile  bowing  before  your  God, 
in  solemn  devotion.  Tell  him,  in  childlike  feeling 
and  familiarity  and  reverence,  that  you  have  too 
long  delayed  this  surrender — that  you  have  thought 
9 


98        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

too  little  on  your  responsibilities  and  duty — that 
you  here  regret  it,  and  '  earnestly  repent,  and  are 
heartily  sorry  for  your  past  misdoings ;  and  that 
you  acknowledge  and  bewail  them ;'  and  now 
would  offer  up  your  heart  to  be  his  for  ever.  Ask 
your  God  to  accept  this  offer.  If  the  request  be 
sincere,  on  your  part,  believe  that  he  will  receive 
such  a  surrender  of  your  heart  to  him.  And  let 
this  present  consecration  of  yourself  to  God  that 
made  you  and  the  Saviour  that  redeemed  you,  con 
trol  your  future  course  ;  and  then  rely  on  his  un 
merited,  free,  and  abounding  grace  for  forgiveness  ; 
and  go  forward  and  act,  in  all  your  course^  as  such 
a  pledged  follower  of  Jesus  Christ.  If  you  find 
yourself,  at  any  time,  feeling  less  than  you  now 
feel,  still  continue  to  act  according  to  your  present 
purpose,  according  to  your  present  decision.  Our 
feelings  are  often  dependent  upon  circumstances, 
but  our  responsible  action,  never.  Continue  to  act 
aright,  whatever  may  be  your  feeling,  as  the  surest 
way  of  securing  and  retaining  the  feelings  you  de 
sire  and  should  possess.  Go,  Miss  V.,"  added 
Mr.  F.,  with  solemnity  and  tenderest  feeling,  "  go, 
and  thus  surrender  yourself  to  your  God  and  Sa 
viour,  and  Sanctifier,  to  be  the  Lord's  for  ever. 
You  will  never  regret  it.  It  shall  comfort  you  in 
all  your  griefs,  should  sorrow  ever  meet  you.  It 
will  compose  your  aching  heart  while  standing 
beside  the  death-bed  of  mends.  It  will  delight  the 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         99 

heart  of  a  Christian  mother.  It  will  light  up  the 
often  dark  way  of  mortality,  and  enable  you  to  look 
with  composure  into  your  own  grave,  as  you  shall 
be  nearing  it,  either  by  more  rapid  or  slower  steps. 
And,  if  it  is  any  thing  for  you  to  know  it,"  added 
Mr.  F.  in  a  tone  of  thrilling  Christian  sympathy) 
"  you  will  have  my  continued  interest  as  you  have 
had  my  tears  and  my  prayer." 

As  Mr.  F.  concluded  this  feeling  appeal,  in  the 
touching  expression  which  ended  the  conversa 
tion,  they  quickened  their  pace,  and  were  but  little 
behind  their  company,  who  had  just  seated  them 
selves  in  their  carriages. 

But  few  words  were  spoken  by  the  party  on 
their  way  back  to  the  Tremont  House.  Perhaps 
the  objects  by  which  they  passed  had  become  too 
familiar  to  attract  their  attention  and  remark,  or 
what  is  more  probable,  as  each  seemed  disposed 
to  indulge  in  each  one's  own  private  abstractions, 
with  more  than  usual  gravity,  the  topics  on  which 
they  had  been  musing  still  occupied  their  minds. 
Even  when  they  had  reached  the  Tremont  House, 
and,  for  a  moment,  entered  the  ladies'  parlour,  the 
laughing  greeting  of  young  Rosa  E.,  who  rushed 
forward  from  the  maid  with  hands  extended,  was 
met  by  a  more  soft  and  hardly  articulate  welcome 
from  her  mother ;  while  Miss  V.  passed  her  with 
simply,  '<  sweet  Rosa"  and  sought  her  chamber. 


100  ELLA  V.r   OR    THE   JULY   TOTTR?, 

Had  the  time  permitted,  Mr.  F.,  doubtless, 
would  have  added  much  more  to  the  feeling  en 
treaty  and  counsel  which  he  deemed  desirable  for 
assisting  Miss  V.  in  her  inquiriesr  and  in  urging 
her  to  decision  in  her  then  circumstances  of  a 
softened  and  agitated  heart.  And  we  may  suppose, 
as  the  two  were  often  thrown  together  during  the 
continuance  of  their  tour,  Mr.  F.  did  not  neglect 
the  opportunity  to  guide  a  mind  that  confided  in 
his  ability  to  instruct,  and  in  his  piety  and  sympa 
thy  as  a  Christian  friend.  He  did  not  think  the 
solemn  interview  which  he  urged  Miss  V.  to  hold 
between  her  own  spirit  and  her  God,  would  result 
in  the  change  of  her  heart  independent  of  the  in 
fluence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  he  knew,  without 
this  influence,  there  was  no  hope  at  all  that  her 
present  feelings  would  bring  her  to  that  sincere 
devotion  of  spirit  in  her  onward  course,,  whick 
should  guide  her  in  simple  and  humble  disciple- 
ship  to  Jesus  Christ.  But  he  also  knew,  that  there 
was  no  hope  that  the  Spirit  of  God  would  operate 
on  her  mind  in  any  other  way  than  "  through  the 
truth,"  as  that  truth  should  be  made  the  particular 
subject  of  her  thoughts ;  and  that  the  legitimate 
object  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was,  to  urge  her,  through 
these  truths,  to  do  what  Mr.  F.  presented  to  her 
mind  and  endeavoured  to  persuade  her  to  perform.* 

*  "  It  is  plain  that  if  any  species  of  being  is  to  pass  under 
a  renovating  process,  the  process  must  be  of  a  kind  analo 


ELLA  V.,    OR   THP..J7B?:TO!n?.  101 

And  he  also  knew  th<*t  a  rnind  that  had  be^n  h^ 
bituated  to  think  more  of  worldly  things  than  of 
religion,  might  return  a<rain  to  its  indifference,  and 
would  so  return  after  having  made  its  decisions 
to  pursue  a  religious  course,  unless  that  mind 
should  adopt  the  necessary  means  for  keeping 
vividly  before  its  view  religious  truth,  and  the  re 
membrance  of  its  own  responsibilities  and  neces 
sities  for  a  Christian  life  on  earth  and  hopes  for 
its  future  well-being.  Mr.  F.,  therefore,  did  not 
neglect  to  open  before  Miss  V.  the  means  for  cul 
tivating  her  religious  feelings  and  for  strengthen 
ing  her  religious  purpose.  He  recommended  to 
her  various  books,  the  perusal  of  which  he  knew 
would  enlighten  her  mind,  and  tend  to  keep  alive 
and  yet  more  to  deepen  the  impressions  of  reli 
gious  truth  upon  her  heart.  The  Bible  was  to  be 
her  continued  companion,  and  prayer,  the  often 
aspiration  of  her  contrite  spirit.  And  after  all  this 
she  was  to  look  to  her  heavenly  Father  as  a  feeble 
and  dependent  child,  that  would  certainly  be  lost 

gous  to  the  properties  which  are  to  be  so  transformed.  Thus, 
for  instance,  it  can  be  nothing  but  a  physical  power  and  a 
series  of  physical  transitions  that  must  translate  an  animal 
from  one  condition  of  organization  to  another.  And  thus, 
too,  it  can  be  nothing  else  than  a  moral  process  or  a  working 
upon  the  affections  by  motives  that  can  effect  a  transition  from 
one  moral  condition  to  another."  Author  of  Natural  History 
of  Enthusiasm. 

9* 


102        ELfcA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

unless 'hi^  almighty;;  hand  interposed  to  save  her 
from  a  ruin,  which,  without  his  aid  to  strengthen 
her,  the  temptations  of  the  world  and  the  unsub 
dued  passions  of  the  corrupted  heart  would  assur 
edly  bring  upon  her.  But  the  writer  will  not  longer 
delay  the  advance  of  the  action  of  the  party. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        103 


SECTION  VII. 

IT  was  a  beautiful  afternoon  which  witnessed 
the  third  gathering  of  the  friends  within  the  grounds 
of  MOUNT  AUBURN.  Not  a  zephyr  moved  through 
the  foliage  of  the  oaks  or  whispered  in  the  tops  of 
the  pines.  The  bosom  of  the  sleeping  water,  col 
lected  in  different  ponds  through  the  grounds,  was 
unrippled,  and  mirrored  back,  from  its  silver  sur 
face,  to  the  clear  blue  sky  above,  the  deep-green 
foliage  of  the  trees  and  the  border  of  dahlias  that 
encircled  the  edges  of  the  flower-enamelled  basins. 
It  was  a  mellowed  scene,  fit  to  prepare  the  heart 
for  musing  on  the  theme  which  had  brought  the 
party  again  to  this  enchanting  retreat.  They  were 
seen  moving  on  their  different  paths,  for  a  while 
seemingly  with  a  more  measured  step  and  deeper 
meditation  than  usual,  as  they  threaded  the  wind 
ing  ways,  and  at  length,  with  a  new  addition  to 
their  number,  reached  the  seats  which  they  had 
occupied  the  preceding  day. 

Mr.  F.  was  already  at  this  point,  having  to-day 
taken  his  walk  alone,  after  entering  the  grounds, 
and  held  in  his  hand  a  sprig  of  arbor  vitas  which  a 
little  ruffled-collar  boy  had  presented  him,  while 
walking  around  one  of  the  water-ponds.  Mr.  F. 


104?        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

opened  the  little  Testament,  which  by  accident 
had  been  left  on  the  bench  the  first  time  they  visit 
ed  the  grounds,  and  read  the  following  line  : 

"And  there  shall  be  no  more  death." 

"There  is  something  in  that  word  death"  added 
Mr.  F.,  "which  causesthe  soul  for  a  moment  to  feel 
solemn  as  it  breaks  upon  the  ear.  No  matter  in 
what  circumstances  we  maybe  placed,  the  thoughts 
rush  sadly  through  the  mind,  and  the  imagination 
calls  up  the  scenes  of  the  last  hour  of  the  mortal 
anguish,  when  the  soul  takes  its  exit  to  the  unknown 
world. 

"We  see  the  legislator  in  the  halls  of  his  nation 
rise  to  pronounce  his  sentiments,  when  death 
places  his  hand  upon  him,  and  he  falls  in  his  place, 
while  the  words  are  yet  on  his  lip.  Around  him 
gather  the  associates  of  his  labours,  and  they  gaze 
on  the  pale  features  of  a  face  but  just  now  animated 
with  thoughts  struggling  for  utterance  j  and  if  they 
smite  not  their  breasts,  they  turn  in  silence  from  the 
death-scene  and  think  how  frail  is  man.  Such  was 
the  death  of  Boudin.  Again,  another  high  in  fame 
and  exalted  in  merit,  ends  his  brilliant  course  as  an 
orator  and  a  counsellor.  It  is  told  to  the  court  of 
his  nation.  They  pause.  They  cease  the  transac 
tion  of  their  business.  His  eulogy  is  pronounced, 
and  they  follow  him  in  silence  to  his  tomb.  Such 
was  the  death  of  the  lamented  and  pious  Wirt. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         105 

"But  who  of  us  has  not  stood  where  a  soul  was 
just  on  the  verge  of  the  untried  being,  and  about  to 
take  its  farewell-leave  of  a  world,  where  its  exist 
ence  had  commenced  and  the  endearments  of  rela 
tionship  and  kindred  had  been  formed  1  It  was  an 
hour  of  deep  solemnity.  The  child  remembers  it — 
when  he  knelt  at  the  bed-side  of  a  dying  parent, 
and  received  the  last  blessing  from  the  quivering 
lip  of  a  departing  father.  The  child  remembers  it — 
when  he  hung  over  the  pillow  of  the  mother,  who 
had  soothed  his  young  cares  and  often  pressed  him 
to  her  bosom  with  a  mother's  love,  but  lying  in  her 
last  illness,  said  to  him,  in  the  unrestrained  anguish 
of  her  spirit,  'My  child,  farewell !'  And  the  mother 
remembers  it.  It  was  a  dark  day  to  her  when  the 
destroyer  came  and  took  from  her  the  objects 
which  had  entwined  themselves  in  their  young  affec 
tions  among  the  life-strings  of  her  heart — or  else 
summoned  to  another  world  the  manlier  form  of 
one  on  whom  she  had  hoped  to  lean  as  the  support 
and  the  consolation  of  her  elder  years.  And  my 
friends,"  added  Mr.  F.,  as  he  cast  his  eye  upon  the 
increased  circle  around  him,  "  you  all  remember  it, 
as  you  have  gazed  upon  the  emaciated  features  of 
the  dead  when  robed  for  their  burial,  and  when  you 
have  stood  at  the  grave  of  friends,  and  heard  the 
earth  crumble  with  its  hollow  echo  upon  their  cof 
fin-lids,  and  you  turned  from  the  scene  and  sought 
your  closets  to  weep  !  It  is  this  thought  of  death 
that  takes  away  the  zest  of  a  soul,  which  would 


106         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

otherwise  be  wholly  absorbed  by  the  brief  frivolity 
and  the  incidents  of  a  passing  world,  which  are 
beneath  the  dignity  of  an  immortal  spirit.  To  the 
gay,  the  thought  of  the  last  struggle,  if  it  ever  comes 
over  their  minds,  even  in  their  greatest  hilarity, 
is  like  a  shade  from  another  world,  and  it  throws  a 
damp  upon  their  spirits.  It  tells  the  miser,  as  he 
counts  his  gain  and  his  loss,  that  the  hour  is  not  far 
distant,  when  the  poverty  of  his  grave-clothes  and 
his  coffin  which  holds  him  shall  he  his  only  posses 
sions.  And  it  tells  the  ambitious  man,  and  the  man 
of  literature,  that  the  bubble  for  which  they  struggle 
will  burst  as  they  grasp  it ;  and  if  their  only  aim 
shall  have  been  for  aggrandizement  and  fame,  they 
will  be  lost  souls  when  their  bodies  shall  lie  in  their 
covered  graves.  And  there  is  none  of  us,  who  can 
look  upon  the  funeral  rite — the  mourning  apparel — 
the  hearse — the  coffin — the  open  grave — and  the 
relics  lowered  to  their  rest  to  wait  the  trump  of  the 
last  day,  without  a  solemn  pause,  and  a  rush  of 
affecting  thoughts,  which  carry  back  some  of  us 
to  the  first  bitter  hours  of  our  orphanage,  and  others 
to  the  seasons  of  bereavement  when  their  children, 
or  a  brother,  or  companion,  or  sister  for  ever  closed 
the  eye  as  trophies  of  the  universal  conqueror, 
death. 

"  Well,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  "  the  passage  which 
I  have  just  read  from  this  blessed  book,  assures  us, 
that  in  heaven  there  shall  be  no  more  death — no 
more  scenes  kindred  to  these  we  have  described. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         107 

In  heaven,  no  friendships  shall  he  broken.  In  hea 
ven,  no  mother  shall  gaze  on  the  cold  remains  of  a 
beloved  child,  ere  it  takes  its  departure  to  its  long 
sleep  of  the  grave-yard.  In  heaven,  no  child  shall 
pour  forth  its  grief  over  the  departing  dust  of  him 
or  her  on  whose  bosom  he  leaned  in  his  childhood, 
and  who  loved  and  consoled  him  in  his  riper  years. 
In  heaven,  'there  shall  be  no  more  death.' 

"  We  see,  then,  with  these  views,  that  a  third 
desire  of  the  soul — that  is,  the  desire  for  continued 
and  immortal  existence — shall  find,  in  heaven,  its 
gratification,  as  well  as  the  two  other  native  desires 
of  our  spiritual  being,  of  which  I  have  spoken  in 
our  two  preceding  conversations. 

"  The  soul  from  a  Christian  land,  at  least,"  con 
tinued  Mr.  F.,  "  before  he  shall  have  entered  on 
those  immortal  scenes,  shall  have  learned,  from 
the  word  of  God,  that  its  life  shall  be  ceaseless. 
But  the  simple  fact  that  the  soul  shall  live  through 
immortal  ages  might  not,  of  itself,  give  us  pleasure. 
Our  circumstances  might  be  such,  that  the  know 
ledge  of  the  eternal  life  of  the  soul  might  be  a 
source  of  pain.  The  desire  of  immortal  existence, 
then,  which  wakes  in  our  bosoms  as  one  element 
of  our  spiritual  being,  is  of  necessity  connected 
with  the  expectation  of  happiness ;  for,  as  some 
may  suppose,  the  desire  of  immortal  life  could 
hardly  exist  within  a  bosom  which  was  certain 
that  its  eternal  existence  would  be  one  continued 
and  eternal  misery.  Yet  I  once  heard  a  sensible 


108        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR* 

woman  remark,  that  if  the  alternative  with  her  was, 
that  she  should  either  be  annihilated  or  spend  her 
eternity  in  hell,  she  would  choose  the  eternal  exist 
ence  in  misery  rather  than  be  annihilated.  Such 
at  least  was  a  strong  evidence,  in  her  case,  of  what 
I  have  affirmed  of  every  human  being — that  all 
have  within  them,  as  one  element  of  their  being,  a 
desire  for  continued  and  immortal  existence.  But 
as  this  desire  is  one  constituent  part  of  our  souls, 
and  consequently  remaining  with  the  saint  in  his 
heaven  of  complete  happiness,  it  shall  there  re 
ceive  its  gratification,  for  augmenting  our  joys 
through  eternal  ages.  For,  while  the  saint  there 
enjoys  the  familiar  companionship  and  affection 
of  the  purified  society  of  heaven,  and  satiates  his 
thirst  for  increased  knowledge  at  the  sources 
which  such  a  society  from  every  age  and  every 
region  shall  afford  him ;  and  at  other  fountains 
which  a  perception  of  God's  creation  and  provi 
dence  over  his  universe  shall  lay  open  to  his  en 
larging  capacities,  he  shall  know,  from  the  assurance 
of  his  God,  that  this  life  of  fullest  joy  shall  be  un 
ending.  In  such  circumstances  of  felicity  he  shall 
find  this  '  longing  after  immortality'  a  blessing  of 
his  eternal  being,  bearing  home  to  his  soul  an  ad 
ditional  exultation  of  joy  while  he  thinks  of  the 
eternal  life  of  the  righteous ;  and  that  once  seated 
in  the  '  many  mansions'  he  shall  go  no  more  out 
for  ever.  As  he  casts  back  his  thoughts  to  the  un 
told  sorrows  from  which  he  has  been  rescued,  and 


ELLA  V.,   OR  THE   JULY   TOtTX,  109 

feels  his  soul  swelling  with  the  bliss  of  heaven  to 
which  he  has  been  elevated,  then  shall  the  assu 
rance  that  this  is  an  eternal  redemption — that  this 
is  a  deathless  feast  of  soul,  give  new  ecstasy  to  his 
bliss  and  new  value  to  his  immortality.  This  feel 
ing  of  safety  shall  blend  itself  with  his  swelling 
emotions  of  blessedness,  more  acceptably  than 
wakes  in  the  bosom  of  the  shipwrecked  mariner, 
just  rescued  from  a  grave  of  waters,  when  once 
more  upon  the  solid  beach  he  plants  his  firm  foot 
steps.  A  feeling  of  safety  more  grateful  than 
wakes  in  the  bosom  of  a  being  just  saved  from  the 
fatal  plunge  of  a  precipice,  down  which  he  casts 
his  look,  and  thinks  of  his  rescue  as  by  a  miracle 
from  inevitable  ruin.  The  rescue  of  the  saint  is  a 
salvation  from  eternal  ruin,  and  an  elevation  to  the 
safety  of  a  spirit  who  is  tasting  the  full  joys  of 
heaven,  whence  he  now  knows  his  once  jeopardized 
spirit  shall  never  depart.  No  more  shall  he  trem 
ble  for  his  safety  ;  but  while  he  drinks  in  the  un 
told  happiness  which  angels  know,  there  shall 
come  over  him  the  delightful  consciousness  that 
his  desire  for  continued  and  immortal  existence, 
amid  such  blessedness  of  a  happy  spirit,  shall  gain 
its  full  gratification,  while  the  soul  lives  on  in  its 
joys  immeasurable  and  eternal.  Has  he  met,  on 

'  the  bright  plains 

Where  the  noontide  of  glory  eternally  reigns/ 
a  kindred  spirit,  and  in  the  fellowship   of  kindred 

minds  communed,  and  loved,  and  worshipped — no 
10 


110  ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY    TOUR. 

cloud  there  shall  pass  across  the  sunshine  of  his 
soul  at  the  thought  that  the  day  shall  come  when 
the  dearest  relationships  must  be  severed.  Has  he 
welcomed  to  the  abodes  of  the  blessed  some  en 
deared  acquaintance  from  among  the  number  with 
whom  he  sojourned  while  on  his  course  of  proba 
tion  in  this  world  —  there  renewing,  in  the  kindness 
of  their  affection,  the  remembered  acquaintance  of 
earth  —  no  fated  hour  shall  dampen  their  spirits  with 
the  reflection  that  friends  again  must  part.  Or7 
shall  the  Christian  mother  there  again  meet  her 
babes  prematurely  taken  from  her  embraces  here, 
to  inherit  their  possessions  above,  (for  '  of  such 
is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,7)  no  further  pang  shall 
afflict  a  heart 

1  On  mother's  feelings  strung,' 

when  she  there  re-greets  her  child,  and  then,  to 
gether,  they  enter  on  the  course  of  eternal  ages, 
as  deathless  spirits,  and  happy  as  they  are  immor 
tal.  Or  shall  the  mind  there  be  drinking  from  new- 
fountains,  opening  to  the  soul  thirsting  for  increas 
ing  knowledge,  and  delighting  the  spirit  in  its  new 
acquisitions  —  no  sad  complaint,  no  melancholy  ap 
prehension  shall  cross  his  mind  kindred  to  one 
found  among1  the  lines  of  a  Grecian  epitaph,  that 

'  A  long,  long,  silent,  dark,  oblivious  sleep, 
A  sleep  which  no  propitious  power  dispels,'* 


Ai  on,  iui  [iua%m  (A£V  tnav  XCCTOI  xunov 
//  TW     hwa  (rekiva,  TO  TEvOafag  vkov 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        Ill 

may  succeed.  No.  Each  new  accession  to  his 
knowledge  shall  but  enlarge  his  capacities  for  in 
creasing  thought  and  for  eternal  acquisitions  ;  and 
in  the  plenitude  of  his  enjoyment  as  an  intellectual 
being,  the  thought  that  shall  come  over  the  soul 
and  augment  its  ecstasy  shall  be,  *  this  is  an  eter 
nal  feast  of  soul  ;  and  here  my  desire  for  immortal 
being  shall  meet  its  wish  amid  these  exhaustl  ess  foun 
tains  of  the  joys  of  friendship,  and  intellectual  de 
lights,  and  bliss  without  alloy.  IN  HEAVEN  THERE 

SHALL  BE  NO  MORE  DEATH. 

1  Heaven's  bliss  is  perfect,  pure, 

Friendship  is  there, 
Heaven's  bliss  is  sure, 
Deathless  its  heir. 

Christ,  he  has  gone  before, 
Saints,  with  their  troubles  o'er, 
And  still  shall  myriads  more 
Be  gathered  there. 


T  sfyov  al  fcorti,  xui  tig  CTO^  «AAo 
yfy/jU££  <5'  ol   //f^aAot  xai  xarc^ot  t]  croyoi 
'OrtTtoie  nyuTa  Ouvwjiiv,  uvoxooi  fv  /don  xot).ut 


Alas  !  the  tender  herbs,  and  flowery  tribes, 
Though  crushed  by  winter's  unrelenting  hand, 
Revive  and  rise  when  vernal  zephyrs  call; 
But  we,  the  brave,  the  mighty,  and  the  wise, 
Bloom,  flourish,  fade,  and  fall,  —  and  then  succeeds 
A  long,  long,  silent,  dark,  oblivious  sleep; 
A  sleep,  which  no  propitious  power  dispels, 
£fo,r  changing  seasons,  nor  revolving  years. 

MOSCHUS,  Epitaph.  Bion. 


112  ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY 

Souls  for  that  joyous  feast 

Robe  and  prepare, 
Holiness  becomes  the  guest 

That  feasteth  there. 
What  makes  their  joys  complete  ? 
What  wakes  their  hymns  so  sweet  T 
There  we  our  friends  shall  greet, 

NOR  DEATH  FS  THERE.'  " 

ffere  Mr.  F*  paused  for  a  moment,  and  then  re 
sumed  : 

"  If  this  inherent  desire  for  continued  and  im 
mortal  existence  be  one  of  the  elements  of  our 
being,  the  question  may  arise,  Must  it  not  also  be 
a  desire  remaining  in  the  soul  of  a  lost  spirit  1  I 
suppose  it  must  be.  But  like  the  desire  for  society 
and  its  friendships,  and  the  desire  for  increasing1 
knowledge,  of  which  we  have  already  spoken,  so 
this  desire  for  immortal  existence,  instead  of  ad 
ministering  to  the  happiness  of  lost  spirits,  will  be 
a  source,  through  the  perversion  of  their  nature, 
of  an  augmented  misery.,  New  knowledge  to  them 
will  serve  only  to  show  more  clearly  the  justness 
of  God's  dealings  with  them,  and  the  sincerity  of 
his  good  will  towards  them;  and  the  unequivocal 
wish  which  God  cherished  that  every  immortal 
spirit  should  have  availed  himself  of  the  terms  of 
the  bliss  of  heaven,  and  complied  with  these  terms,. 
as  he  might  and  ought,  and  as  was  his  interest  to 
have  done.  Every  new  perception  which  the  lost 
soul  shall  gain  through  eternity  shall  but  illustrate 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        113 

more  and  more  clearly  the  truth  of  all  this,  and 
thus  inflict  a  deeper  pang  upon  the  spirits  in  the 
world  of  ruin,  as  they  shall  see  their  folly  and  in 
gratitude  and  madness,  thus  to  have  lost  their  souls 
and  drew  destruction  upon  themselves,  when  they 
might  just  as  certainly,  and  infinitely  more  wisely 
nnd  honourably  have  saved  their  deathless  spirits, 
as  was  the  wish  of  their  God  —  and  as  all  his  in 
fluences  and  their  own  felt  obligations  urged  them 
to  do,  by  a  compliance  with  the  terms  of  a  cease 
less  happiness,  which  God,  with  ceaseless  sincerity, 
urged  upon  them.  It  is  such  a  perception  of  the 
goodness  of  God,  of  their  own  want  of  ingenuous 
ness,  and  their  loss  eternal,  which  they  cannot 
then  repair,  which  shall  bear  home  to  the  bosom 
of  the  ruined  soul  the  bitter  anguish  of  self-reproach, 
and  regret,  and  despair,  and  hate,  which  none  but 
a  lost  and  conscience-smitten  spirit  can  adequately 
conceive.  But  notwithstanding  all  this  accumu 
lated  and  accumulating  sorrow,  as  intellectual 
spirits  they  must  still  desire  knowledge,  although 
it  bears  with  it  such  daggers  to  pierce  their  immor 
tal  spirits  through  immortal  ages.  The  desire  is 
an  indestructible  element  of  their  being. 

"And  it  is  thus  the  lost  spirit  also  shall  for  ever 
long  after  immortality.  The  conception  of  Lord 
Byron,  where  he  draws  the  character  of  Cain,  is  cor 
rect,  when  applied  to  this  subject,  as  he  makes  him 
thus  speak  after  the  criminal  murder  of  his  brother  : 


114         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

'  I  live,  and,  living,  see  no  thing 
To  make  death  hateful,  save  an  innate  dinging, 
A  loathsome  and  yet  all  invincible 
Instinct  of  life,  which  I  abhor,  as  I 
Despise  myself,  yet  cannot  overcome. 
And  so  1  live.     Would  I  had  never  lived.' 

"  This  element  of  our  being,  then,  is  still  with 
the  lost  in  another  state  of  existence.  True, 
their  misery  may  be  such,  their  self  reproach 
may  be  such,  their  shame  and  contempt  for  them 
selves  may  be  such  as  to  cause  another  wish  to 
arise,  not  as  one  of  the  elements  of  their  souls,  but 
as  the  result  of  their  sufferings,  which,  for  a  time, 
may  overcome  their  native  desire  for  immortality, 
while,  to  free  themselves  from  mental  anguish  and 
woes  untold,  they  would  hail  an  hour  of  oblivion 
to  their  suffering  spirits  and  thank  their  God  for 
annihilation.  But  the  desire  of  immortal  exist 
ence  is  still  an  element  of  their  souls,  though  it 
should  yield  to  the  circumstances  of  their  sorrows, 
self-inflicted,  as  in  the  case  of  a  man  in  the  agonies 
of  an  injured  limb  ;  while  he  could  never  but  desire 
its  preservation,  he  yet  might,  to  be  relieved  of  its 
pain,  choose  to  have  it  amputated. 

"  We  see,  then,  that  while  this  desire  is  still  an 
element  of  the  being  of  a  lost  spirit,  it  may  never, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  happy  experience  of  the  saved, 
afford  him  an  onward  joy.  It  bears  to  him  no  re 
lieving  hope,  to  light  up  the  pressure  that  weighs 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        115 

down,  and  for  ever  shall  weigh  down  his  soul, 
through  untold  ages.  Nor  shall  he  find  among  the 
other  elements  of  his  being,  one  native  susceptibi 
lity,  that  shall  give  him  relief.  Designed  for  his 
augmented  bliss,  they  shall  all  then  enhance  his 
eternal  wo.  Nor  elsewhere  shall  the  lost  spirit 
gain  aught  to  allay  the  tumultuous  throeings  of  his 
bosom.  In  the  world  of  wo,  and  through  eternity, 
his  perceptions  shall  be  too  distinct  to  permit  him 
to  gain  any  soothing  palliatives  in  ignorance,  or 
succour  from  any  quibblings  in  doctrine  or  sophis 
try  in  argument.  It  shall  be  written  fearfully  and 
vividly  on  his  own  spirit,  by  his  own  clear  percep 
tions  of  the  truth — that  he  knew  his  duty  and  did 
it  not.  He  might  have  entered  heaven  with  some 
of  his  kindred  and  friends  who  chose  the  better 
part,  but  it  will  then  be  all  too  late  with  him  ;  while 
before  him  shall  stretch  the  disconsolate  way  of  an 
unblest  soul,  without  the  anticipation  of  one  joy  to 
mitigate  the  eternal  anguish  of  a  withered  and  des 
pairing  spirit. 

"  Surely,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  "  these  tremendous 
truths  as  they  come  up  to  our  view  must  appeal  to 
our  sensibilities — to  our  self-love — to  our  deathless 
interests.  To  the  Christian,  it  calls  on  him  for  grat 
itude,  that  he  is  possessed  of  a  hope,  that  this 
inherent  longing  of  the  soul  for  immortality  shall  be 
met  and  be  gratified  in  his  case,  in  the  full  frui 
tion  of  those  joys,  which  make  up  the  blessed  ex- 


116         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

perience  of  the  saved.  Let  us  then  give  God  the 
tribute  of  grateful  thanks,  and  vow  before  him, 
amid  the  associations  of  this  moment  and  the  me 
mentoes  of  our  mortality  among  these  grounds, 
devouter  attachment  than  has  yet  swelled  our  bo 
soms  ;  and  go  forth  on  our  course,  wherever  it  leads, 
with  inspiring  hopes — hopes  enough,  as  we  look 
forward  to  those  blessed  mansions,  to  cast  the 
brightest  and  the  best  of  this  world's  expectations 
into  the  dimmest  distance  of  the  vision  of  an  im 
mortal  spirit. 

"  And  if  I  might  suppose  that  one  of  our  num 
ber,  gathered  to  this  retreat  this  evening,"  con 
tinued  Mr.  F.,  in  a  tone  of  friendly  conciliation, 
"  is  yet  uncheered  with  the  hopes  of  which  we  have 
been  speaking,  and  while  you  are  now  addressed 
from  every  point  of  these  grounds,  that  '  flesh  is 
but  grass ;'  and  that  the  sun  seen  through  these  vis 
tas  so  fair  this  evening,  may  go  down  on  your  mortal 
existence  before  many  more  days  or  weeks,  I  would 
ask  you,  with  the  feelings  of  one  who  has  estimated 
with  a  full  heart  the  hazards  of  his  impenitent 
friends,  whether  this  subject  of  the  future  destiny 
and  circumstances  of  the  deathless  spirit  cannot 
gain  an  interest  in  your  feelings  1  If,  in  the  trifles 
of  the  passing  and  to  each  of  us  fleet  world,  we 
can  find  much  to  attract,  to  beguile,  and  to  render 
happy,  can  you  find  no  temptation  in  the  far  greater 
bliss  that  is  proffered  to  us  for  far  longer  years  1  O 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        117 

remember,"  added  Mr.  F.,  in  his  eloquent  tone,  "  re 
member  the  interests  of  your  precious  being,  which 
can  be  made  delighted  even  by  such  trifles,  and  be 
so  bitterly  depressed  by  the  merest  sorrow.  When 
ages  on  ages  shall  have  rolled  away,  your  spirits 
shall  be  yet  more  sensitive,  and  long  as  devoutly 
for  happiness  then,  as  is  that  desire  which  now  urges 
you,  for  a  passing  joy,  to  jeopardize  the  lasting 
welfare  of  your  souls.  Millions  of  years  hence," 
continued  Mr.  F.,  with  deeper  intonation  and  im- 
pressiveness,  "  shall  you  have  this  desire  for  happi 
ness  swelling  your  bosoms  more  strongly  than  now. 
And  shall  it  be  satiated  1  Where  then  will  you  be  1 
Annihilated  1  No  !  In  a  world  where  hope  comes 
not!  That  now,  since  God  has  done  his  part,  de 
pends  upon  yourselves.  And  shall  the  lost  spirit 
there  find  this  immortal  longing  for  happiness  met  1 
No !  The  desire  there  shall  still  be  one  element 
of  his  being,  but  it  shall  administer  the  deepest 
curse  that  shall  ever  be  noted  in  the  annals  that 
record  the  anguish  of  a  damned  spirit.  O,  allow 
me,"  said  Mr.  F.,  rising  from  his  seat  in  the  emotion 
of  his  feelings,  "  allow  me  to  entreat,  that  you  think 
of  it !  Think  of  it  now — a  soul  immortal,  longing, 
from  the  very  nature  of  its  being,  for  immortal  hap 
piness  through  immortal  years,  and  yet  never  once 
gaining  the  faintest  gleam  of  the  longed-for  boon 
of  spirit !  It  shall  be  like  the  wretch  eternally 
dying  but  never  dead,  with  a  quenchless  thirst  and 


118         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

with  his  lips  just  at  the  fountain  that  would  allay 
his  anguish,  but  he  cannot  reach  it !  Or  will  you, 
as  you  may,  gain  the  fruition  of  this  eternal  long 
ing  of  the  spirit  in  heaven  1  This,  also,  now  de 
pends  upon  yourselves.  All  things  have  been  pre 
pared,  on  the  part  of  God.  '  Jill  things  are  ready? 
Your  part  alone  remains  to  be  acted — your  surrender 
of  your  heart  to  God.  And  my  prayer  to  the  Eternal, 
at  this  hallowed  moment  and  amid  these  hallowed 
shades,  is,  that  ye  may  hereafter  satiate  this  eternal 
element  of  your  spirits,  beneath  the  smile  of  a 
complacent  and  inviting  God." 

Mr.  F.  had  become  considerably  excited  while 
presenting  his  thoughts,  at  this  last  visit  of  the 
party  to  this  enchanting  retreat,  where  the  living 
seek  a  rural  walk  among  the  monuments  of  the 
dead.  And  aware  that  some  hearts  among  his 
listeners  were  feelingly  affected,  he  delivered  him 
self,  while  concluding  his  remarks  with  the  empha 
sis  and  the  solemnity  of  one  ending  a  passionate 
address.  He  immediately  recollected  himself,  how 
ever,  and  with  a  playful  smile,  offered  his  arm  to 
Mrs.  E.,  and  proposed  that  they  should  take  their 
final  view  of  "  sweet  Auburn."  Little  Rosa  E., 
who  had  been  permitted  to  accompany  the  party  this 
afternoon,  familiarly  took  the  hand  of  Mr.  F.,  and 
the  party  were  soon  scattered  through  the  different 
paths  of  this  forest  burial-ground  ;  and  after  a  half 
hour,  were  again  seeking  their  carriages. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        119 


SECTION  VIII. 

THE  next  morning,  which  was  Saturday  morning1, 
Mrs.  E.  with  a  book  in  her  hand,  and  Miss  Ella  V. 
with  her  needle  and  lace,  were  seated  on  a  sofa,  in 
one  part  of  the  ladies'  parlour,  at  the  Tremont 
House.  Little  Rosa  E.  was  at  her  mother's  feet, 
looking  over  a  quantity  of  prints,  which  Magdalen 
her  nurse  thought  very  pretty,  and  seemed  desirous 
of  making  Rosa  admire  them  for  their  rural  beauties, 
as  they  were  made  up  of  country  houses,  and  milk 
maids,  and  shepherds  collecting  their  flocks,  and 
other  things  in  like  keeping  with  rural  life. 

Mr.  F.  entered  the  parlour  and  took  his  seat  be 
side  the  two  ladies,  now  at  their  leisure.  At  this 
hour  the  room  was  generally  vacated  by  the  guests 
of  the  house. 

"  How  happy  might  our  life  be  in  this  world," 
said  Mrs.  E.,  "  were  we,  as  Christians,  always  to  re 
tain  a  consistent  persuasion  of  our  reconciliation 
with  our  God.  I  have  been  reading  the  memoirs 
you  mentioned  the  second  evening  of  our  ride  to- 
MOUNT  AUBURX.  The  subject  of  this  memoir,"  con 
tinued  Mrs.  E.,  referring  to  the  book  in  her  hand, 
"  seemed  always  to  have  enjoyed  such  a  persuasion  ; 
and  as  a  consequence  of  it,  which  resulted  from 
his  holy  living,  was  always  happy." 


120         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

"  You  know,  Mrs.  E.,"  said  Mr.  F.,  "  that  I  have  an 

invitation  to  preach  in church,  to-morrow.    I 

have  some  sermons  on  the  evidences  of  Christian 
character.  For  your  pleasure,  if  it  may  prove  such, 
and  as  it  may  be  a  source  of  some  consolation  to 
others,"  and  here  Mr.  F.  directed  his  look  towards 
Miss  V.,  "  I  will  choose  them  for  that  occasion.  I 
can  then  say  something  which  I  might  desire  to 
suggest  on  this  subject.  But  as  I  promised  you, 
as  we  were  leaving  the  grounds  at  MOUNT  AUBURN 
last  evening,  to  speak  of  the  difficulty  which  you 
suggested,  in  connection  with  the  subject  about 
which  we  had  conversed  several  times;  and  as  I 
now  have  a  leisure  moment,  and  you  seem  to  be 
quite  disengaged  and  left  by  yourselves  here,  I  will 
give  you  a  few  thoughts  that  may  serve  to  remove 
what,  otherwise,  might  still  remain  a  difficulty  on 
your  mind  in  connection  with  our  thoughts  on  the 
probable  sources  of  the  joys  of  the  saints  in 
heaven. 

"  The  difficulty  which  you  suggested,  if  I  rightly 
remember,  was  this.  If  it  be  true  that,  as  Chris 
tians,  we  shall  meet  and  know  our  Christian 
friends  in  heaven,  so  we  shall  necessarily  miss 
those  of  our  friends  who  are  not  there.  This  would 
give  us  pain.  But  heaven  is  a  place  of  perfect 
happiness.  Therefore,  as  a  knowledge  of  the  eter 
nal  loss  of  some  of  our  friends  would  give  us 
sorrow,  we  must  conclude  that  we  shall  not  know 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        121 

our  friends  in  another  world.  Such  was  the  drift 
of  your  thoughts  as  you  suggested  them. 

"  I  would  here  remark  by  the  way,  with  the  de 
sign  of  making  an  application  of  the  same  by  and 
by,  that  a  thing  is  considered  perfect,  which  is  as 
much  so  as  is  possible  in  the  nature  of  things* 
We  say  that  God  is  omnipotent — can  do  any  thing 
—and  yet,  in  the  nature  of  things,  so  long  as  the 
Deity  leaves  things  with  the  relations  they  now 
sustain  to  each  other,  God,  though  a  perfectly  om 
nipotent  being,  cannot  make  two  and  two  seven 
teen  and  a  half. 

"  To  prove,  however,  that  we  shall  meet  and 
know  our  friends  in  another  world,  I  will  give  a 
few  further  suggestions.  We  all  know,  from  our 
own  consciousness,  that  our  spiritual  being  or  soul 
which  thinks,  loves,  hates,  is  happy  or  is  misera 
ble,  is  made  up  of  certain  attributes  or  powers,  one 
of  which  is  memory.  Now  this  property  of  the 
mind,  or  of  the  soul,  can  no  more  be  destroyed 
than  our  power  of  thinking  or  reasoning,  or  the 
power  of  loving  or  hating.  We  have  no  mental 
feeling  independent  of  that  which  our  thinking 
produces.  These  things  or  attributes  of  the  mind 
go  to  make  up  the  mental  being  that  we  call  our 
spirit,  as  much  as  tasting,  seeing,  hearing,  and  ex 
ternal  touch  go  to  make  up  part  of  the  sensitive 
attributes  of  the  body.  Take  away  these  attributes 
of  the  body  and  it  is  dust.  Take  away  these  attri- 
11 


122         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

butes  of  the  soul  and  it  is  annihilated.  The  attri 
butes  dependent  upon  our  body,  of  course,  cease  when 
the  body  is  separated  from  the  soul.  But  the  soul, 
from  its  very  nature,  is  an  indestructible  thing,  and 
cannot  lose  its  attributes,  or  any  one  of  them, 
which  go  to  make  up  the  very  being  that  it  is. 
Take  away  the  memory,  and  how  could  we  reason 
— for  in  the  process  of  reasoning  the  memory  holds 
up  before  the  mind  two  or  more  objects  for  our 
comparison.  We  pass  from  the  one  to  the  other, 
and  draw  our  conclusions.  But  how  could  we 
reason  without  we  could  remember  what  we  last 
passed  from,  that  we  may  recur  back  to  it,  for 
comparison  ^  And  how,  when  we  had  recurred 
back,  could  we  again  recur  to  what  we  had  left  in 
our  mind,  without  the  assistance  of  our  memory  1 
And  without  the  power  of  reasoning,  we  could  not 
see  the  fitness  of  things  in  this  or  in  the  other 
world — and  by  consequence,  could  not  know  the 
justness  of  God's  dealings  with  his  creatures  on  the 
judgment  day,  the  object  of  which  is  to  show  to  a 
universe  of  immortal  and  responsible  beings,  that 
He  who  hath  made  all  things  doeth  all  things  right. 
And  without  this  perception  of  the  justness  of 
God's  judgments,  at  the  final  tribunal,  and  of  the 
propriety  and  the  fitness  of  things  in  his  govern 
ment,  past  and  through  eternity,  the  worship  of 
the  saints  around  his  throne  would  be  a  blind  ser 
vice,  unworthy  of  intelligent  and  reasonable  beings, 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         123 

but  which  they  offer  up  to  an  intelligent,  and  wise, 
and  holy  God.  In  this  world,  we  look  at  the  cre 
ation,  we  behold  God's  works.  As  we  see  their 
greatness  and  their  fitness  in  their  happy  tenden 
cies,  we  adore  him  for  his  power,  praise  him  for 
his  wisdom,  and  love  him  for  his  goodness.  So  in 
heaven,  clearer  and  larger  perceptions  of  his  pow 
er,  and  wisdom,  and  goodness,  in  his  wrorks  and  in 
his  government  over  his  creation,  and  over  sinful 
and  ransomed  beings,  shall  wake,  with  yet  deeper 
emotion,  the  adoration,  and  praise,  and  love  of  the 
redeemed,  in  their  full  enjoyment  of  the  bliss  of  hea 
ven.  But  to  gain  these  clearer  and  larger  percep 
tions  of  the  justness,  and  benevolence,  and  wisdom 
of  God  in  his  moral  government  over  us,  and  in  his 
works,  we  shall  have  to  look  at  them  with  the  rea 
soning  'power  of  the  mind,  which  power,  as  I  have 
said  before,  can  only  be  exercised  by  the  assistance 
of  the  memory.  Therefore  the  memory  must  re 
main  with  us  in  another  world.  But  if  our  memo 
ry  remains  with  us,  we  come  to  the  necessary  con 
clusion,  that  in  heaven  we  shall  retain  by  our  re 
collection  more  or  less  of  this  world's  concerns, 
and  of  our  relations  in  it.  These  things  will  be 
forgotten  only  as  time  and  objects  of  intenser  in 
terest  to  our  thoughts  shall  exclude  them  from  the 
mind. 

"And  thus  it  is;  our  memories  remaining  what 
they  are,  and  our  spiritual  being  in  heaven  gaining 


124        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

its  happiness  in  the  gratification  of  its  desires  for 
society  and  friendship  and  knowledge — as  I  have 
previously  illustrated — of  course,  our  familiar  com 
panionship  and  continued  and  eternal  intercourse 
with  kindred  spirits  in  another  world  will  lead  to  a 
recognition  of  our  Christian  friends.  To  what  other 
conclusion,  from  the  very  nature'of  our  being  and 
the  future  necessary  circumstances  of  that  being 
in  the  society  of  heaven,  can  we  reach'?  To  my 
mind,  none  other. 

"  But  here  occurs  the-  difficulty  to  which  you 
have  alluded,"  said  Mr.  F.,  addressing  Mrs.  E., 
"  and  which  probably  occupies  the  minds  of  many. 
If  we  shall  meet  and  remember  our  Christian  friends 
so  we  shall  remember  others  who  died  in  impeni 
tence,  and  they  being  missed  from  the  courts  of  the 
blessed,  it  will  cause  sorrow  to  the  bosom  of  the 
saints.  Painful  as  the  reflection  may  be,  and  at 
first  view  different  from  what  may  have  been  our 
previous  impressions,  I  am  necessarily'led  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  must  be  so  ;  but  I  yet  think  the 
subject  may  be  placed  in  a  relieving  and  proper 
light.  . 

"  Let  us  then  recur  to  a  passage  in  Hebrews," 
said  Mr.  F.,  opening  a  small  Bible  which  he  held  in 
his  hand,  "  and  quote  from  it  a  paragraph,  to  assist 
us  in  our  illustrations.  'But  writh  whom  was  he 
grieved  forty  years  \  Was  it  not  with  them  that 
had  sinned  V 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        125 

"There  is  a  principle,  which  naturally  arises 
out  of  this  and  similar  expressions  of  the  Bible," 
continued  Mr.  F.,  "which  I  think  will  show  us  that 
the  difficulty  we  are  considering  may  be  made  to 
appear  as  one  of  those  incidental  circumstances  of 
our  fallen  world,  which,  men  once  having  become 
sinners,  cannot  in  the  nature  of  things  be  prevented. 
I  quote  a  few  other  passages,"  said  Mr.  F.,  as  he 
turned  to  different  parts  of  the  book  he  held  in  his 
hand.  "  The  Psalmist  represents  the  Eternal  to 
say,  '  Forty  years  long  was  I  grieved  with  this  gene 
ration,  and  said,  it  is  a  people  that  do  err  in  their 
hearts.'  'How  oft  did  they  grieve-  him  -in  the 
desert,'  is  the  further  language  of  the  Psalmist. 
And  St.  Paul  exhorts  the  Ephesians  '  to  grieve  not 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,'  by  which  they  are  sealed 
unto  the  day  of  redemption.  These  passages  are 
sufficient  for  my  purpose  in  quoting  them.  They 
speak  of  GRIEF  in  the,  bosom  of  God  when  looking 
upon  sinners. 

"  It  is  often  said,  when  we  find  such  language 
in  the  Scriptures,  that  we  are  to  limit  its  meaning, 
as  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  God  can  be  .affected 
by  any  emotion  similar  to  the  feeling  we  call  grief, 
for  that  would  be  to  make  the  Deity  unhappy. 
But  I  would  ask,  on  what  authority  we  are  forced 
to  make  such  a  limitation.  This  once  admitted 
and  we  should  have  to  make  the  same  restriction 
with  regard  to  joy.  And  it  often  is  made.  But  I 
11* 


126          ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

know  of  no  such  limitation,  when  I  hear  such  words 
falling  from  the  compassionate  lip  of  a  holy  God 
over  sinners,  whom  he  made  that  they  might  be 
happy,  but  who  are  perverting  their  privileges,  and 
marring  the  purity  of  his  kingdom,  and  bringing 
ceaseless  ruin  upon  themselves.  Is  there  no  cause 
for  grief  in  all  this,  to  a  holy  Being — to  a  benevo 
lent  Being — to  ONE,  who,  in  his  sincerely  felt  inter 
est  for  their  salvation,  even  gave  the  Son  of  his 
bosom,  that  they  might  be  rescued  from  sorrow, 
and  elevated  to  the  happiness  of  heaven  and  the 
renewed  love  of  their  Creator  1  Is  there  no  cause 
for  grief,  such  as  a  father  feels  when  his  tears  flow 
over  the  recollections  of  a  wandering  and  ruined 
child'?  How  could  God,  in  such  circumstances  of 
his  erring  kingdom,  respect  himself,  as  a  holy 
and  be?ievolent  Being,  if  he  had  not  the  appropriate 
feelings  of  grief  when  he  looked  upon  such  moral 
perversion  and  ruin  1  So  also  when  the  apostles 
speak  of  the  love  of  God  towards  his  creatures 
which  invites  them  back  to  his  affections,  does  not 
this  mean  something  ^  '  God  so  loved  the  world 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish  but  have  ever 
lasting  life.'  Does  this  not  mean  any  thing,  as  to 
the  feelings  of  God  1  Does  it  not  mean  that  the 
feeling  which  wakes  in  the  bosom  of  God  over  his 
created  beings  is  kindred  to  that  which  we  call 
the  love  of  the  parent  j  though  infinitely  more 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        127 

intense  and  kind  in  the  Deity  than  in  man'?  God 
created  man  in  his  '  own  image,'  we  are  told, 
which  image  consists  in  mental  constitution  and 
moral  feeling.  And  therefore,  the  way  by  which 
we  are  to  estimate  the  feelings  of  God,  is  to  con 
sult  our  own.  And  when  we  are  told  that  we  must 
not  reason  from  man  up  to  God,  I  beg  leave  rather 
to  say  that  it  is  the  only  right  or  possible  way  we 
can  reason  of  the  feelings  of  God.  The  Deity 
then  is  grieved  over  the  sinner  in  the  circumstan 
ces  of  his  offending  against  the  rule  of  right  in 
which  the  sinner  has  placed  himself.  It  is  benevo 
lence  looking  upon  ruin.  It  is  holiness  looking 
upon  sin.  And  these  feelings  of  grief  have  all 
their  characteristics  of  sorrow  about  them  in  the 
bosom  of  God,  that  they  have  when  waking  in  the 
heart  of  a  grieved  parent  over  the  wanderings  of  a 
wayward  child.  So  that  we  see  that  it  is  not  all 
a  mere  ado  which  God,  in  his  word,  makes  about 
sin.  The  sinner  in  breaking  his  law  incurs  the 
fearful  responsibility  of  marring  the  holy  kingdom 
of  God  to  the  positive  and  deep  grief  of  its  almighty 
Creator. 

"  We  see  then  that  there  may  be  grief — mental 
sorrow,  and  consequently  mental  pain — in  the  bo 
som  of  a  holy  God,  whom  we  consider,  and  rightly 
consider  completely  happy — that  is,  as  happy  as, 
in  the  nature  of  things  it  is  possible  for  him,  as  a 
holy  and  benevolent  being,  to  be.  And  I  think  it 


128        ELLA  V,,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

may  be  rendered  plain  that  God  is  infinitely  hap 
pier  with  this  mental  grief  than  he  otherwise,  as  a 
holy  God,  could  be,  in  the  circumstances  of  man's 
sinning,  without  it,  and  that,  according  to  every 
principle  of  correct  judgment,  he  is  a  nobler  being 
with  this  feeling,  in  the  circumstances  of  his  sin 
ning  kingdom,  than  he  would  be  without  it. 

"  To  illustrate  this  point  then,  (and  erelong  I 
shall  apply  it  to  the  case  of  the  saints  in  heaven,) 
take  the  earthly  parent  himself,  who  has  an  erring 
child.  The  parent  would  rather  that  his  child 
should  not  have  wandered,  and  have  saved  him  the 
grief  which,  as  a  parent,  Jie  feels  for  his  erring 
child.  But  the  child  once  having  disobeyed  his 
father's  precepts  and  brought  ruin  on  himself,  the 
parent  cannot  but  grieve  over  the  prodigal.  And 
in  such  a  case,  the  parent  would  choose  that  this 
grief  should  be  the  inmate  of  his  bosom.  For  if 
he  did  not  feel  grief  in  such  circumstances,  what 
could  he  think  of  himself — what  could  wre  think  of 
him — what  would  all  mankind  think  of  him  1  With 
out  such  a  feeling,  would  he  be  more  or  less  noble  1 
With  such  a  feeling,  he  shows  himself  the  better 
father,  and  the  holier  man,  with  his  native  sensibi 
lities,  which  ennoble  his  moral  being,  yet  unper- 
verted.  We  then  see  that  here  is  mental  pain,  but 
it  is  a  grief,  which,  in  the  circumstances  of  the 
offending  child,  the  parent  would  rather  have  than 
not ;  for  without  it,  in  such  a  case,  he  could  not 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        129 

respect  himself  nor  be  respected,  as  a  benevolent 
parent,  by  others. 

"Take  another  case.  No  Christian  can  hear 
the  name  of  his  God  taken  in  vain,  without  mental 
pain — a  feeling  of  grief.  But  while  he  feels  this 
aching  of  heart  over  the  profanity  of  one  who  for 
gets  his  God,  it  tells  him  at  the  same  time  that  he 
is  a  nobler  and  a  holier  being  with  this  feeling  than 
he  would  be  had  he  felt  no  such  grief,  when  hearing 
the  profanation  of  the  swearer.  Without  it,  he  could 
have  had  no  complacency  in  his  own  Christian 
character  ;  with  it,  he  has  ;  and  thus,  although  he 
would  choose  that  the  swearer  should  not  have  in 
dulged  his  profanity  in  his  hearing,  yet  having  heard 
it,  the  Christian  would  rather  have  felt  this  sorrow 
than  not,  and  is  happier  with  the  feeling  of  mental 
grief,  in  the  case,  than  he  could  be  had  he  not  felt 
this  grief  or  mental  pain.  This  pain,  therefore,  in 
the  circumstances  supposed,  increases  rather  than 
diminishes  his  happiness. 

"  Apply  these  two  cases  to  the  character  of  God. 
He  is  a  Being  who  has  given  existence  to  a  moral  uni 
verse.  As  a  holy  Being  he  desires  that  his  creatures 
should  remain  holy,  and  he  cannot  look  upon  sin 
with  any  allowance,  and  as  a  benevolent  Being  he 
desires  their  eternal  happiness.  But  when  he  looks 
upon  the  objects  of  his  creative  power  and  benevo 
lent  care,  he  sees  them  sinking  themselves  in  sin, 
and  by  their  disobedience  to  his  pure  precepts, 


130        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

bringing  ruin  upon  their  immortal  souls.  What 
other  feelings,  I  then  ask,  as  a  benevolent  and  holy 
God,  can  he  have  when  he  contemplates  the  sub 
jects  of  his  creative  goodness  rejecting  their  truest 
interests  and  marring  the  purity  of  his  holy  kingdom 
except  the  feelings  of  sorrow — of  grief — of  mental 
pain  1  And  while  he  remains  a  holy  God  how  can 
he  respect  himself  if  he  does  not  have  these  feel 
ings,  when  he  looks  upon  sin  1  And  while  he  re 
mains  a  benevolent  God,  how  can  he  respect  him 
self,  or  be  respected  by  others,  if  he  does  not  pos 
sess  this  feeling  of  grief  as  he  sees  the  beings,  whom 
he  made  that  they  might  be  happy,  thus  ruining 
themselves?  True,  God  as  a  holy  and  benevolent 
being,  would  rather  that  sin  and  ruin  should  not 
have  been  committed  and  its  penalty  incurred  by 
his  creatures,  and  by  their  continued  holiness  have 
saved  him  the  necessary  grief  of  a  holy  and  bene 
volent  God  looking  upon  sin  and  ruin.  But,  they 
having  once  sinned,  and  thus  ruined  themselves,  I 
ask,  where  were  his  holiness,  and  where  his  bene 
volence,  if  these  feelings  of  grief  and  sorrow  wake 
not  in  his  bosom,  as  a  holy  and  benevolent  God  1 
And  had  he  not  these  feelings,  how  could  he  res 
pect  himself  in  the  character  which  he  has  given  us 
of  himself;  or  how  could  he  be  respected  by  his 
universe?  But  with  these  feelings  in  the  circum 
stances  of  his  sinful  beings,  which  we  have  suppos 
ed,  do  we  not  see,  that  in  the  eye  of  every  principle 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        131 

of  holiness  and  benevolence,  it  renders  God  a  nobler 
Being  than  he  could  be  deemed  to  be  if  he  felt  no 
emotion  of  grief  over  such  degeneracy  of  character 
and  eternal  ruin  of  soul?  And  without  such  feel 
ings  in  such  circumstances  of  his  kingdom  he  could 
have  no  complacency  in  his  own  character ;  and 
therefore,  in  the  nature  of  things,  it  is  what  is  fit 
should  be  felt,  as  the  Deity  himself  has  described 
to  us  to  be  the  fitness  of  things,  and  given  us  per 
ceptions  thus  rigthly  to  estimate  them.  And  these 
feelings,  therefore,  in  the  bosom  of  God,  though  in 
their  very  nature  a  mental  sorrow,  he  would  choose 
as  a  holy  and  benevolent  God  to  have  ;  and  as  such 
a  holy  and  benevolent  Being,  he  is  happier  with 
them  than  he  would  be  without  them,  when  thus 
contemplating  his  sinning  and  ruined  subjects. 

"We  see,  then,  that  in  the  circumstances  of  a 
sinful  world,  there  may  be  such  a  thing  as  grief  in 
the  bosom  of  a  holy  and  happy  God.  But  it  is  the 
grief  which  a  holy  and  benevolent  Being  feels  over 
sin  and  ruin.  And  as  the  proper  feelings  of  such  a 
character,  in  such  circumstances,  instead  of  their 
diminishing  the  happiness  of  the  Deity,  he  could 
not  be  a  holy  and  benevolent  and  happy  God  with 
out  them.  For  to  be  fully  blessed  we  must  have 
complacency  in  our  own  character.  And  without 
such  feelings  God,  as  a  holy  and  benevolent  God, 
could  not  approbate  his  own  character. 

"  Now,  then,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  "  let  us  apply 


132         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

these  remarks  to  the  ransomed  spirits  in  heaven. 
There,  they  shall  be  holy  beings,  and  yet  from  the 
very  nature  of  the  soul,  as  we  have  seen,  they  must 
retain  the  powers  of  memory  and  the  native  sensi 
bilities  of  their  spiritual  being.  As  holy  beings 
they  must  and  they  will  approve  that  which  is  right, 
else  they  could  have  no  complacency  in  their  own 
character.  They  shall  see  the  justice  of  God's 
dealings  and  approbate  them.  But  like  their  God, 
when  he  looks  upon  the  sin  and  the  ruin  of  the 
lost,  so  their  bosoms  as  holy  and  benevolent  beings 
must  feel  involuntary  grief  over  such  desolation  in 
holiness  and  happiness.  But  it  is  the  pity  and  the 
sorrow  of  an  angel,  which  makes  them  yet  more 
angels,  and  rises  in  their  souls,  as  the  necessary 
emotion  of  holy  and  benevolent  beings,  in  the  very 
nature  of  things;  and  although  it  be  an  involuntary 
emotion  of  grief  —  of  mental  pain — instead  of 
diminishing  the  amount  of  their  happiness,  as  holy 
and  benevolent  beings,  it  augments  it,  and  they 
could  not  be  happy  as  such  pure  beings  without  it ; 
for  a  moral  being  to  be  happy  must  have  compla 
cency  in  his  own  character.  And  this  the  saints 
in  heaven  could  not  have,  unless  they  cherished 
the  feeling  to  which  I  have  alluded,  over  the  con 
scious  ruin  of  moral  beauty  and  happiness,  among 
the  spirits  of  the  lost. 

"  We  hence   see,  that  while  a  ransomed  spirit 
mingles  in  the  society  of  heaven,  and  thinks  on  the 


ELLA   V.,   OR   THE   JULY   TOT7R»  133 

world  of  desolation,  he  may  yet  miss  from  the  courts 
of  the  blessed,  friends  whom  he  knew  upon  earth, 
who  died  in  impenitence.  Yes,  I  doubt  it  not. 
Many  a  pious  mother  shall  know  assuredly  that  her 
child,  who  repented  not,  is  coursing  its  endless  way 
in  eternal  wo.  And  some  pious  child  shall  remem 
ber  the  unfeeling  mother,  who  took  her  separate 
course  to  a  world  of  sorrow.  Companions  there, 
shall  remember  lost  companions.  Sisters  and  re 
membered  sisters,  be  eternally  separated.  And  bro 
thers  know  that  a  brother  once  beloved,  and  yet 
remembered  with  an  involuntary  emotion  of  pity 
and  grief,  is  surely  depressed,  with  an  eternal 
weight  of  anguish.  Does  any  one  ask  if  this  can 
be  heaven  ?  If  not,  then  there  can  be  no  heaven  in 
the  bosom  of  the  Eternal.  He  loved  each  of  these 
with  a  love  dearer  than  ever  mother  loved  her  child, 
and  he  knows  and  remembers  them  all,  and  sees 
the  full  sorrow  they  must  eternally  feel.  And  hence 
he  resigned  his  Son  to  die  to  ransom  each  of  them, 
would  they  but  comply  w^ith  the  necessary  condi 
tions  of  the  proffered  salvation,  and  thus  return  to 
their  allegiance.  But  they  have  been  their  own  de 
stroyers,  notwithstanding  all  which  a  benevolent  and 
affectionate  God  could  do  to  lead  them  back  to  his 
love.  No,  there  is  not  one  vindictive  feeling  that 
awakes  or  ever  shall  awake  in  his  bosom  against 
them.  While  writhing  in  their  sorrows  of  remorse, 
and  regret,  and  despair,  and  self-contempt  through- 
12 


134  ELLA   V.j    OR    THE    JULY    TOTJR. 

out  eternal  ages,  they  shall  yet  have  the  grief  and 
the  involuntary  pity  of  the  benevolent  bosom  of 
their  God,  while  he  yet  will  frown  on  their  contin 
ued  sin,  throughout  eternity.  And  while  in  their 
dark  prison-house  they  forever  shall  be  sealed,  they 
yet  are  his  children  by  creation,  whom  he  wished 
to  make  happy,  and  sacrificed  much  to  render  hap 
py — some  of  them,  perhaps,  our  friends,  severed 
from  us  for  ever — and  still  shall  he  regard  them  with 
the  heart  of  a  merciful  God,  who  yet,  as  a  holy  and 
benevolent  governor  toward  his  whole  universe, 
will  and  must  preserve  the  holy  law  of  his  universe 
over  his  free  and  moral  beings. 

"  But  all  this,  to  us,  if  we  are  Christians,"  con 
tinued  Mr.  F.,  "  shall  render  heaven  no  less  desira 
ble.  And  it  may  be,  that  this  knowledge  of  the 
lost  shall  be  the  very  thing,  which,  as  an  additional 
influence  added  to  other  considerations,  shall  ren 
der  heaven,  to  us,  an  eternal  abode.  For,  we  shall 
be  kept  there  only  by  moral  influences — the  influ 
ence  of  motives  addressed  to  yet  free  and  moral 
agents.  No  compulsion  shall  hold  heaven's  inhab 
itants  within  its  '  many  mansions.'  It  will  be 
their  love  to  God — and  gratitude — and  love  of  holi 
ness — and  of  heaven's  happiness — and  the  fear  of 
hell's  sorrows,  as  the  known  '  wages  of  sin,'  which 
shall  address  the  mind  of  a  sainted  spirit  in  bliss. 
It  is  by  such  influences,  that  angels  are  now  kept 
in  heaven.  No  compulsion — no  necessity  pre- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        135 

serves  to  them  their  high  estate.  They  are  yet 
free,  or  they  could  not  yet  be  holy,  as  holiness  is 
free  and  voluntary  obedience  to  the  rule  of  light. 

"  Thus,  and  there,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  "  shall  we 
read,  with  the  eye  of  a  holy  and  redeemed  spirit, 
the  justice  of  a  holy  and  benevolent  God,  who  rules 
his  free,  moral  universe,  by  the  influence  of  motives, 
addressed  to  their  intellectual,  free,  and  moral 
being.  We  shall  see  that  hell  is  but  the  prompt 
ings  of  the  purest  benevolence,  in  the  feelings  of 
a  holy  ruler  over  his  whole  universe,  who  aims  to 
secure  the  greatest  amount  of  happiness  in  a  crea 
tion  of  free,  intellectual  and  moral  spirits.  He 
wished  their  happiness,  and  through  eternity  shall 
regard  them  as  a  parent  follows  the  footsteps  of  a 
prodigal,  ruined,  never-returning  child.  And  while 
as  beings  that  are  made  to  appreciate  what  is 
right  we  shall  approbate  the  conduct  of  our  God, 
though  we  should  know  that  some  most  dear  to  us 
on  earth  have  lain  down  in  unending  sorrow,  we 
yet  shall  partake  of  the  full  bliss  that  shall  flow 
from  the  companionship  of  the  pure  society  of 
heaven,  and,  together  with  them,  feast  the  soul 
with  ever  augmenting  knowledge  throughout  eter 
nal  ages,  and  know,  while  in  the  fruition  of  this 
blessedness  of  happy  spirits,  that  it  shall  be  an  un 
dying — an  eternal  feast  of  soul. 

"  To  me,"  added  Mr.  F.  after  a  moment's  pause, 
tl  this  view  of  the  subject,  which  I  have  presented, 


136         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR, 

proffers  to  us,  as  Christiansy  if  we  are  such,  an  ad 
ditional  motive  for  effort  in  our  action  for  the  sal 
vation  of  our  kindred  and  friends.  As  we  look 
over  those,  dear  to  us,  who  have  no  present  hope 
that,  in  peace,  they  will  meet  the  awards  of  the  last 
day,  is  there  not  enough  in  the  idea,  that,  in  hea 
ven,  we  may  miss  them,  to  the  deep  involuntary 
grief  of  our  souls,  to  rouse  us  to  effort  and  prayer 
in  their  behalf?  Think  of  the  full  and  lasting  bliss 
that  shall  feast  the  soul  in  paradise  among  saintsr 
and  seraphim,  and  the  redeemed  hosts  of  heaven, 
Shall  the  dark  thought  there,  ever  gather  over  us^ 
that  some  friend  and  kindred,  very  dear,  hath  for 
feited  this  proffered,  and  to  us,  enjoyed  bliss,  and 
is  on  a  course  of  eternal  sorrow  1  God  save  us 
from  such  a  remembrance,  if  our  present  action, 
under  his  holy  influences,  may  wake  our  delaying 
friends  from  their  fearful  lethargy  about  their  fu 
ture  interests,  and  cause  them  to  put  in  their  claim 
while  they  may,  to  this  proffered  redemption.  Let 
us  then  assure  our  friends,  in  the  language  of  their 
Eternal  Friend,  that  '  all  things  are  now  ready.' 
''  Come,  every  one  that  thirsteth*  for  these  blessed 
and  lasting  enjoyments.  '  There  is  joy  in  heaven 
over  one  sinner  that  repenteth.'  Would  we  save 
our  friends,  we  should  raise  devoutly  the  prayer  to 
God  that  they  may  yield  to  the  holy  influences 
moving  over  their  spirits,  in  this  world,  and  urg 
ing  them  to  repentance  and  to  the  dedication  of 


SLLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        137 

their  souls  to  God,  O  yes,"  said  Mr.  F.,  with  mel 
lowed  feelings,  as  he  continued,  "  let  us,  as  we  have 
the  opportunity,  assure  them  with  flowing  tears 
and  with  hearts  that  feel,  that  the  love  of  God  is 
waiting  for  them,  and  that  they  may  secure  it  by 
giving  up  their  devotion  to  him  without  delay. 
Tell  them,  from  your  own  delightful  hopes,  that 
there  is  joy  in  the  experience  of  the  Christian,  in 
his  bright  anticipations  of  bliss,  which  shall  satiate 
the  capacities  of  our  undying  spirits.  The  hours 
of  earth  are  brief.  The  time  we  have  for  action 
among  our  friends,  and  for  God,  is  short.  For  one 
then,  I  would  urge,  as  I  have  opportunity,  with 
freedom  and  with  affection,  those  I  esteem  and 
love,  to  secure  to  themselves  the  hopes  of  a  Chris 
tian,  that  together  we  may  course  the  realms  of 
happy,  sainted,  social,  intellectual,  and  immortal 
spirits. 

After  a  few  moments,  Mr.  F.  rose  and  left  the 
parlour.  Mrs.  E.  and  Miss  Ella  V.,  for  some  time 
indulged,  each  her  separate  thoughts  in  silence  ; 
when  little  Rosa  E.  approaching  the  sofa,  upset  her 
mother's  basket.  Among  other  things,  a  scrap  of 
paper  with  the  following  lines  fell  from  the  basket. 
The  lines  were  written  by  Mr.  F.  two  or  three  days 
before  the  party  left  New- York,  and  were  occa 
sioned  by  the  death  of  one  of  the  most  interesting 
young  ladies  of  the  circle  of  Ella  V.'s  sister.  Miss 
V.  had  copied  them  for  her  friend  Mrs.  E.  She 
12* 


138  ELLA   V., 

took  up  the  paper  and  re-perused  it  aloud,  as  not 
inaptly  associated  with  the  preceding  conversation. 

AN    APOSTROPHE    TO    THE    MEMORY    OF    LAURA   H. 

I  knew  ihee  not,  the  young  and  gay, 

With  silver  voice  and  eye  of  light, 
But  heard  guitar  and  minstrelsy 

Awoke  for  thee  in  hours  of  night. 

I  knew  thee  not  on  Broadway  side, 

With  step  of  grace  and  nature's  air, 
But  heard  thou  wast  on  promenade, 

The  gorgeous  belle  and  lady  fair. 

I  knew  thee  not,  when  came  the  hour 
Which  threw  its  shadows  on  thy  way, 

But  heard  those  shades  had  mystic  power 
To  quell  the  thoughtless  and  the  gay. 

I  knew  thee  not,  when  messenger 
Sought  noiselessly  thy  muffled  door, 

But  heard  each  answer  through  the  sphere, 
Thy  circle  saddened  but  the  more. 

I  knew  thee  not,  when  forth  the  word 

Announced  the  thrilling  tale, 
That  thou  wast  for  thy  funeral  robed  ; 

The  young,  the  loved,  the  beautiful ! 

I  knew  thee  not,  when  holy  light 

Illumed  thy  spirit  as  it  fled, 
And  hopes  that  thou  art  bless'd  were  bright, 

As  "  dust"  fell  on  thy  coffin-lid. 


ELLA  V.,  OE  THE  JULY  TOUR.        139 

I  knew  thee  not,  when  carriage  line 
Was  seen  to  move,  with  solemn  tread, 

To  bear  the  weepers  slowly  on 
To  find  thy  place  among  the  dead. 

But  I  was  called  by  those  who  mourn— 

Thy  tale  was  whispered  in  my  ear— 
Then  'mong  the  mourners  I  was  borne, 

And  at  thy  grave  I  shed  my  tear. 

Rest  then,  thou  beautiful  and  gone  ! — 
To  know  thee  ne'er  to  me  was  given  ; 

Yet  when  thou  wakest  from  thy  tomb, 
I'll  hope  to  know  thee  well  in  heaven, 


HO  ELLA   V.,   OR   THE   JULY   TOUK, 


SECTION    IX. 

IN  the  afternoon  succeeding  the  morning  of  the 
conversation  in  the  parlour  of  the  Tremont  House, 
as  given  in  the  preceding  section,  it  was  proposed 
that  the  party  should  take  their  last  view  of  Boston 
and  the  surrounding  neighbourhood  from  the 
cupola  of  the  State  House.  They  had  visited 
Bunker  Hill,  Charlestown,  and  various  other  places 
of  interest  and  of  olden  patriotic  association  in  the 
vicinity  of  this  city,  so  appropriately  styled  the 
cradle  of  the  Eevolution.  They  had  received  the 
elegant  hospitality  of  a  number  of  the  families  in 
the  city,  and  had  made  their  last  return  calls. 
Availing  themselves  of  a  leisure  hour  after  dining, 
they  sought  this  elevated  and  commanding  posi 
tion,  and  contemplated  the  gorgeous  scene  which 
lay  before  them.  As  they  traced  the  picturesque 
panorama  which  surrounded  them,  the  gaze  of 
Ella  V.,  while  leaning  on  the  arm  of  her  friend 
Mrs.  E.,  lingered  longest  on  the  dim  foliage  of 
Mount  Auburn,  now  seen  in  the  distance.  Their 
attention  was  at  length  recalled,  as  one  of  the 
party  pointed  out  the  beautiful  symmetry  of  one 
of  our  majestic  frigates,  with  her  sails  all  furled, 
and  her  yards  squared,  advancing  from  among  the 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        141 

islands  of  the  harbour,  and  borne  along  in  her  rapid 
approach  up  the  channel  as  if  by  some  spell  of  en 
chantment.  But  it  was  soon  discovered  that  a 
small  steam-boat  was  under  her  larboard  beam, 
propelling  the  gallant  ship  through  the  still  waters, 
towards  the  moorings  of  other  noble  vessels  of  her 
class,  lying  at  the  docks  of  the  navy-yard,  at 
Charlestown. 

"  It  reminds  me,"  said  Mr.  F.,  as  his  eye  was 
also  directed  towards  the  object,  "  of  a  thrilling 
scene  I  witnessed  on  the  Mississippi  during  a  past 
winter.  We  were  at  anchor  early  of  the  morning, 
in  a  beautiful  U.  S.  Cutter,  inside  the  bar  which 
stretches  across  the  southwest  pass  of  the  Missis 
sippi.  The  topmasts  of  four  ships,  lying  at  their 
moorings  like  ourselves,  were  seen  in  the  distance 
peering  above  the  white  volumes  of  fog,  which 
hung  heavily  on  the  waters,  but  at  this  moment 
was  lifting  under  the  influence  of  the  early  sun. 
The  morning  was  as  beautiful  as  a  mild  atmosphere, 
an  unrippled  expanse  of  water,  and  the  reign  of  a 
still  calm,  unbroken  even  by  a  solitary  gull,  scream 
ing  in  its  passage  by,  could  render  it. 

"  The  captain,  myself,  and  young  S.,  a  college- 
friend  and  fellow  traveller  of  mine,  were  pacing 
the  quarter-deck,  when  we  heard  the  puff  of  steam 
in  the  offing.  Soon  we  caught  the  glimpse  of  a 
white  column  of  vapour  curling  up  above  the 
darker  mists  of  fog  that  had  gathered  over  the  ex- 


142        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

panse  of  waters  which,  in  floods,  are  hourly  pour 
ing  from  the  seven  mouths  of  the  Mississippi.  We 
soon  perceived  the  top-gallant  masts  of  a  brig  above 
the  stratum  of  fog,  cutting  her  way  through  this 
misty  ocean ;  and  soon,  she  emerged  in  the  rear 
of  the  steamer,  as  the  two  vessels  made  their  ap 
pearance  off  the  bar.  The  steamer  urged  on  her 
course  with  the  prize  for  which  she  had  been 
cruising,  off  the  southwest  pass,  during  the  night. 
A  brig  and  packet-ship,  one  of  the  Philadelphia 
barques,  had  already  been  conveyed  over  the  bar 
by  the  same  steamer,  the  preceding  day.  This 
new  ally,  with  ourselves,  made  out  a  full  tow  for 
the  *  Heroine,'  a  powerful  boat,  engaged  with 
many  others  in  towing  vessels  from  the  mouth  of 
the  river  up  the  current  of  the  rapid  Mississippi. 
The  steamer  came  up  with  the  brig,  and  soon  took 
the  ship,  lying  at  a  short  distance  from  us,  under 
her  right  wing.  As  they  came  omvard,  a  line  was 
thrown  aboard  our  cutter  from  the  steamer.  Our 
hawser  being  attached  to  it,  the  fastening  was 
soon  drawn  on  board  the  Heroine,  and  we  fell  into 
the  wake  of  the  ship  as  our  anchor  was  weighed, 
and  the  powerful  boat  stood  on  her  course  to  take 
yet  another  brig,  which  lay  ahead  of  us,  into  our 
little  fleet. 

"  'What  news  from  Boston  V  we  asked,  as  we 
were  advancing,  side  by  side,  with  the  brig  that 
last  came  over  the  bar. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        143 

"  *  None,  only  the  snow  was  four  feet  deep 
when  we  left  there.' 

"  '  Ay,  sir,'  was  responded,  '  the  fairies  down 
hereaway  fan  us  with  softer  breezes,  and  conjure 
up  for  us  a  milder  climate.' 

"  '  True,  Fahrenheit  as  here  he  reads  the  mer 
cury-scale  to  us  to-day,  would  very  much  discom 
pose  the  sisters  of  the  fairies,  of  whom  you  speak, 
were  they  to  keep  a  like  log  for  the  seventeenth  of 
January  in  Boston.  The  sleigh-bells  and  the  fairy- 
belles  would  not  long  chime  together,  as  they  dash 
on  their  rides  of  a  moon-lit  night,  to  catch  for  their 
cheeks  the  carmine  of  the  late  rose-coloured  Nor 
thern  Aurora.' 

"  Sentiment  and  poetry,  captain,"  continued  we 
from  our  deck,  '  they  say  are  sister-spirits.  We 
perceive,  though  the  frost  of  New  England  does 
not  banish  them,  they  yet  sometimes  make  a  tra 
verse  down  hereaway.  How  long  since  you  left 
the  northern  Athens  j  and  what  is  there  new  in  the 
way  of  poems,  prose-works,  and  presidents  V 

"  '  There  you  are  a  little  too  hard  for  me  again,' 
replied  the  New  Englander.  'As  for  poetry,  we 
left  it  as  we  crossed  the  emerald-green  waters  of 
the  bay,  and  rode  on  the  billows  of  the 

"  deep,  deep,  blue  sea," 

and  star-gazed  at  the  light-houses  above  us,  when 
the  light-houses  of  the  land  were  afar.     The  latest 


144        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

prose  is  Mr.  E.'s  extra  message,  and  my  mate's 
log-book.  As  to  politics,  why,  sirs,  you  know,  as 
with  the  petticoats,  we  of  the  water-craft  have  little 
to  do  with  them.'  "  Mr.  F.  gently  inclined  his  head 
to  the  ladies  as  he  added,  "  Excuse  me,  but  it  was 
a  la  the  captain,  who  continued  :  But  the  pilot 
tells  me  you  are  from  Tampa  last.  What  news  of 
the  twenty  million  and  brevet-war,  I  pray,  sirs  V 

"  'Good,  by  the  feather  of  Miconopa,'  said  our 
captain,  as  an  officer  of  the  army  came  upon  the 
quarter-deck.  4  That  is  a  question  for  you,  Lieu 
tenant  L.  That  fellow  has  been  to  college,  I  s ,' 

adding  an  oath,  which,  as  a  landsman,  I  may  be 
permitted  to  omit — '  and  sharpened  his  wits,  as 
every  sensible  man  will  do,  on  salt  water.' 

"  The  Lieutenant  responded  :  '  Jumper,  the 
secretary  of  state  to  his  majesty  Miconopa's  king 
dom,  made  an  eloquent  speech  at  the  grand  talk  ; 
and  with  the  heir  apparent,  his  lordship  Hoolotoo- 
chee,  has  touched  the  quill  to  the  articles  of  capit 
ulation,  as  General  J.  calls  them,  but  which  were 
not  explained  to  the  Indians  as  any  thing  else  than 
a  new  treaty,  ratifying  the  old  one,  and  engaging 
on  their  part,  to  go  to  the  west,  so  soon  as  the 
flies  shall  drive  up  their  stray  cattle  and  ponies  for 
the  government  to  pay  the  change  for.  As  to  the 
brevets,  the  most  acceptable  one  to  the  army  gene 
ral,  is,  that  they  will  briefly  leave  the  field  of  glo 
rious  war,  and  look  to  the  General  for  a  recom- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        145 

mendation  favourable  to  the  department  for  a  few 
more  of  the  acceptable  trifles  of  which  you  speak.' 

"  *  The  Indian  hath  the  eye  of  an  eagle,  and  sees 
a  great  way  off,'  continued  the  captain  of  the  brig, 
in  his  characteristic  style.  *  He  has  whipped  the 
white  skins.  He  knew  that  his  trail  was  shortening  ; 
and  with  the  shrewdness  of  a  red  warrior,  he  has 
accepted  the  terms  before  the  army,  in  turn,  shall 
whip  him,  that  he  may  bear  away  his  soft  haired 
scalps  in  triumph,  and  dance  around  the  war-pole, 
and  sing  the  song  of  successful  warriors,  when  he 
reaches  his  western  home.' 

"'Set  your  course  there,'  cried  the  captain  of 
the  steamer,  through  his  trumpet,  from  the  prome 
nade  deck  of  the  Heroine  ;  '  clew  down  your  top 
sails,  and  have  a  pull  upon  your  larboard  braces.' 

"  'Ay,  ay,  sir,'  cried  the  mate  of  the  brig ;  and 
the  evolution  for  a  moment  suspended  the  conversa 
tion  from  the  quarter-decks  of  the  two  vessels.  The 
order,  in  substance,  was  repeated  for  us.  The  sails 
were  set,  as  the  breeze  began  to  spring  up.  The 
vessels  were  entering  one  of  the  long  reaches  of 
the  river,  and  soon  began  to  slacken  the  hawsers, 
which  united  us  to  the  tugging  steamer. 

"  The  loungers  on  the  quarter-deck  had  dispersed 
themselves  for  a  time,  some  one  of  them  occasion 
ally  emerging  from  the  cabin,  to  discover,  if 
possible,  some  variety  in  the  monotonous  shores, 
which  they  were  now  passing. 
13 


146  ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY    TOITR. 

"  We  had  slowly  urged  our  course  up  the  river, 
within  about  a  mile  of  the  junction  of  the  north 
east  pass  with  the  main  stream,  when  young  S.and 
myself  were  again  on  the  quarter-deck.  We  had 
perceived  that  a  number  of  passengers  were  on  board 
the  Gazelle,  the  beautiful  name  of  the  packet-ship 
before  us.  At  about  ten  o'clock,  an  hour  previous 
to  the  occurrence  of  the  incident  towards  which  we 
are  hastening,  two  or  three  ladies  were  seen  prome 
nading  the  quarter-deck  of  the  ship.  They  mani 
fested  great  sprightliness — delighted  By  the  change 
of  scene,  having  just  arrived  over  the  bar  after  a 
passage  at  sea,  and  pleased  with  the  novelty  of  be 
ing  towed,  side  by  side,  by  a  steamer,  in  company 
with  three  other  vessels — one  under  either  wing 
of  the  boat,  the  others  in  their  wake — all  making 
up  a  gallant  little  fleet,  which  now  advanced  to 
gether  on  its  course  in  beautiful  consort  and  gran 
deur  against  the  opposing  current  of  the  giant  river. 
At  this  moment  the  ladies,  in  their  apparent  glee, 
were  seen  springing  from  the  quarter-deck  of  tbe 
Gazelle  over  a  plank  extending  to  the  upper  deck 
of  the  steamer,  when  occasional  bursts  of  laughter 
would  reach  us,  as  if  they  were  performing 
great  feats  of  seamanship  or  female  daring.  They 
had  now  jumped  upon  the  promenade  deck  of  the 
steamer,  and  were  sprightly  skipping  over  it,  de 
scending  the  steps  which  were  at  the  immediate 
stern  of  the  boat,  leading  to  the  main  or  lower 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         147 

deck.  They  had  several  times  repeated  this  move 
ment,  entering  the  cabin  of  the  steamer,  and  other 
wise  amusing  themselves,  apparently  exulting  in 
the  liberty  they  were  enjoying,  after  the  confine 
ment  of  so  many  days  within  the  circumscribed 
bounds  of  a  single  vessel. 

"  '  Oh,F. !'  said  young  S.  to  me,  with  emotion,  as 
he  paused  a  moment,  with  his  arms  folded  upon 
his  breast  and  gazed  on  the  distant  figures  of  the 
young  ladies,  who  had  again  gathered  on  the  pro 
menade  deck  of  the  Heroine,  '  how  my  heart  goes 
forward  to  meet  my  friends,  after  these  three  years 
absence  from  home.  Greece,  Italy,  France,  and 
England,  have  all  amused  me  much,  and  I  could 
hope  I  have  gained  some  advantage  in  my  obser 
vations  of  persons  and  things.  But  it  is  a  lonely 
hour  that  often  gathers  over  us  abroad,  however 
numerous  our  letters  may  have  been,  and  flattering 
the  attentions  of  strangers  in  a  distant  land.  The 
heart  yearns  for  home — for  the  familiar  faces  of 
those  we  love — the  sweet  voice  of  a  sister,  as  in, 
past  hours  we  have  sat  at  her  side  on  some  rural 
bench  beneath  the  green  foliage  of  the  clustering 
trees,  and  listened  to  her  sweet  and  young  voice, 
accompanied  by  her  guitar  ;  and  whom  you  have 
loved  with  almost  a  romantic  affection,  and  wholly, 
with  a  brother's  heart.  I  most  sincerely  thank  our 
countryman,  the  author  of 

'  Home,  sweet,  sweet  home,' 


148         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR, 

for  embodying  the  beautiful  conception  which  has 
filled  the  vision  of  every  man,  who  has  travelled. 
And  the  music  to  which  the  words  are  set  is  so  ex 
quisite  and  simple,  that  it  has  rendered  the  piece 
the  height  of  the  pathetic,  and  brought  it  home  to 
the  bosom  of  every  lover  of  poetry  and  song.  One 
forgets  that  they  are  not  his  own  words,  and  his 
own  cadences,  as  he  hears  the  plaintive  air  and 
lets  his  melancholy  yet  happy  musings  cluster  with 
the  memories  of  home/ 

"  The  eye  of  young  S.was  still  on  the  lady-forms 
flitting  on  the  promenade-deck  of  the  steamer,  as  if 
he  traced  in  the  air  of  one  of  them  the  recollected 
attitudes  of  some  remembered  friend. 

"  We  were  now  just  entering  the  expanse  of 
water,  where  the  several  passes  of  the  river  diverge* 
The  steamer  was  pressing  forward  with  all  her  pow 
er,  while  the  sails  of  the  four  vessels  were  spread, 
to  assist  our  passage  through  the  rapid  current. 

"  c  Gods  !'  suddenly  exclaimed  young  S.,  as  a 
scream  came  from  the  forward  vessel.  He  sprang, 
with  a  single  leap,  to  the  spanker  halliards,  and 
severing  them  with  his  knife,  he  placed  himself,, 
with  one  end  of  the  coil  in  his  hand,  upon  the  gun 
wale  of  the  cutter.  'Let  run  the  hawser  there, 
men !  Give  it  all  away — and  back  the  ship,  and 
save  the  woman  overboard  !  Mr.  F.,r  he  added 
hastily,  l  bend  the  other  end  of  these  halliards  to 
this  side  fender  and  throw  it  overboard,  if  the  rope 
runs  out  before  I  reach  the  womaiu* 


ELLA    V.,    OR    THE    JULY    TOUR.  14-9 

"  '  Clear  away  the  boat !'  sounded  from  the  cap 
tain,  who  had  rushed  upon  the  deck,  and  at  once 
comprehended  the  scene,  while  a  dozen  hands  had 
sprung  to  the  quarter-deck,  anticipating  the  order. 

"  Young  S.  had  struck  the  water  between  the  two 
vessels,  where  he  expected  the  young  lady  would 
rise,  whom  he  had  seen  precipitated  from  the  main- 
deck  of  the  steamer,  and  as  instantly  carried  under 
by  the  rushing  current  and  the  high  swell  which 
the  wheels  of  the  boat  had  raised,  and  which  were 
now  running  with  fearful  velocity  between  the  two 
after  vessels.  He  went  under ;  and  it  was  a  fear 
ful  time  before  he  re-appeared  upon  the  surface  of 
the  water.  The  halliards  had  already  run  out  the 
coil  before  the  vessel  could  be  checked.  I  cut  the 
buoy  from  the  side  of  the  cutter,  and  committed 
him  to  heaven  and  the  tide.  It  was  a  long  breath 
that  was  drawn  by  every  bosom  on  board,  and  he 
rose  within  five  feet  of  the  lady,  who  was  now 
struggling  in  the  last  agonies  of  a  drowning  person, 
when  the  muscular  arm  of  young  S.  seized  the  back 
part  of  her  dress,  at  the  neck. 

"'Thank  God!'  broke  forth  in  a  deep-drawn 
but  suppressed  breath  from  more  than  one  sicken 
ed  bosom. 

"  The  boats  from  each  of  the  four  vessels  were 

instantly  in  the  water ;  and  the  cutter's  light  yawl 

had  flown   almost  out  of  water  to  the   rescue   of 

their  struggling  favourite,   who  was  often  borne 

13* 


150         ELLA  T.y  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

down  by  the  current  and  the  now  unconscious  be 
ing  whom  he  endeavoured  to  hold  above  the 
surface  of  the  water.  It  was  but  a  few  moments ; 
yet  as  each  one  leaned  forward,  as  if  they  would 
add  impulse  to  the  flying  boat,  it  seemed  an  age  of 
delay,  while  each  man  raised  his  prayer  to  God 
that  they  might  not  sink  before  they  were  reached 
by  the  boat. 

"  *  Swim  P  cried  the  captain  of  the  cutter  at  the 
top  of  his  voice  as  he  stood  upon  the  tafferel 
'  swim  !'  '  courage' — c  courage,  my  brave  fellow  !r 
1  Pull,  men,  pull  for  your  lives  !'  continued  to  echo 
from  our  captain,  with  astonishing  presence  of 
mind  and  effect* 

"  Thanks  to  God,  they  were  reached.  The  mate 
of  the  cutter  who  had  thrown  himself  into  the  boat 
with  his  men,  seized  the  noble  and  now  nearly  ex 
hausted  S.,  as  he  was  raised  with  his  rescued  and 
insensible  burden,  to  the  boat. 

"  What  a  moment  was  that  on  board  of  the  five 
vessels,  in  full  view  of  which  the  scene  occurred. 
No  one  can  describe  it.  Not  a  syllable  was  uttered, 
as  the  return  boats  were  seen  to  move  back  to  the 
vessels.  A  faintness  still  fainter  oppressed  the 
bosom,  and  as  pure  gratitude,  at  that  moment,  rose 
from  many  hearts  to  God,  as  was  ever  breathed  by 
grateful  lips. 

"  Young  S.  now  lay  almost  as  insensible  as  the 
lovely  being  whom  he  had  rescued  from  such  a  grave. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        151 

The  other  boats  put  back  to  their  several  vessels, 
which  were  now  drifting  down  the  stream,  as 
the  steamer  stopped  her  wheels ;  and  the  cutter's 
yawl,  with  the  two  insensible  sufferers,  pulled  for 
the  Gazelle.  They  were  gently  borne  to  the  cabin 
as  the  eyes  of  young  S.  opened,  and  indicated  his 
resuscitation.  The  young  lady  was  conveyed  to 
her  berth,  and  warm  blankets  were  wrapped  about 
her.  A  few  minutes  had  passed,  when  her  blue 
lips  were  seen  to  sever,  and  her  dimmed  eyes  par 
tially  opened.  The  administering  of  some  simple 
restoratives  soon  recovered  her  to  her  senses. 

"  Only  a  short  time  afterwards  had  passed  when 
a  venerable  gentleman  was  seen  at  the  side  of  the 
recovered  but  still  enfeebled  young  man,  to  thank 
him — thanks  did  not  express  the  overflowing  feel 
ings  that  were  gushing  from  his  eyes,  as  he  said, 
in  agitated  accents,  '  O,  sir,  it  is  my  daughter 
you  have  saved — what  can  assure  you  of  my  grati 
tude  V 

"  Young  S.  cast  his  eyes  upon  the  venerable  man 
as  he  saw  him  weep,  and  exclaimed,  *  God  Al 
mighty  !  It  is  my  father !' 

"  '  My  son  !'  broke  from  the  lips  of  the  astonish 
ed  parent,  as  he  sunk  upon  the  locker  beside  him. 

"  I  was  not  present  at  this  scene,  but  was  soon 
afterwards  on  board  the  Gazelle,  beside  my  friend  ; 
and  that  brother  was  soon  after  in  the  embrace  of 
an  only  sister,  whom  he  had  saved  from  such  a 


152        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

burial  and  unmarked  tomb,  by  the  providential  co 
incidence  of  entering  the  Mississippi  at  the  time, 
and  the  only  time,  that  could  have  rescued  the  only 
sister  of  his  love  from  so  sudden  and  inevitable  a 
death. 

"  The  young  lady,  as  the  cause  of  the  accident, 
had  descended  the  steps  of  the  promenade-deck,  to 
pet  a  beautiful  dog,  which  had  caught  her  eye.  By 
a  sudden  lurch  of  the  boat,  she  descended  with 
greater  rapidity  than  she  intended ;  and  losing 
her  balance,  she  struck  her  foot  against  the  coiled 
end  of  the  hawser  of  one  of  the  vessels  in  tow,  and 
fell  overboard  from  the  lower  deck,  which  has  no 
railing  about  it.  She  struck  directly  in  the  wake 
of  the  steamer,  and  was  swept,  by  the  rapid  tide, 
between  the  two  vessels  of  the  stern-tow.  It 
seemed  a  miracle  that  she  was  saved,  or  that  her 
brother  could  thus  have  supported  himself,  in  the 
rapid  waters  of  this  deep  and  swift  rolling  river. 

"  But  I  am  making'my  narrative  too  long.  Young 
S.  had  just  returned  from  Europe,  by  the  way  of 
the  Havana,  where  he  was  politely  offered  a  passage 
on  board  one  of  the  United  States  ships  of  war,  to 
Tampa  Bay.  From  thence  he  came  in  the  United 
States  Cutter,  bearing  despatches  to  New  Orleans. 
The  father  and  the  daughter  were  returning  from 
the  north,  in  expectation  of  the  arrival  of  the  son 
and  brother  from  abroad." 

Mr.  F,  having  answered  several  inquiries,  which 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        153 

his  narrative  of  this  interesting  incident  had  awak 
ened,  the  party  descended  the  winding  staircase 
of  the  State  House,  to  the  ground  below.  They 
paused  a  few  moments  at  the  house  of  one  of  their 
kind  friends  and  new  acquaintances  which  fronted 
the  State  House.  The  two  young  ladies  of  the 
family  were  sitting  at  the  window,  at  the  moment 
the  party  was  passing,  *nd  insisted  upon  their  call. 
They  soon  afterwards  returned  to  the  Tremont 
House,  gratified  in  their  review  of  the  courtesies 
of  the  Bostonians,  and  the  charming  scenery  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  city ;  and  the  many  as 
sociations  which  they  had  gathered,  for  adding  the 
agreeable  to  their  future  recollections, 


154-  ELLA    V.,    OR    THE    JULY   TOUR. 


SECTION  X. 

THE  church-bells  were  sending  forth  their  last 
peals  for  the  morning  service,  the  succeeding  Sun 
day,  when  the  party  were  politely  seated  in  the 

middle  aisle  of church.  The  morning  was 

pleasantly  cool,  and  fair  as  the  mild  rays  of  an  un 
clouded  sun,  dissipating  the  moisture  which  the 
showers  of  the  preceding  night  had  produced, 
could  render  it.  The  enchanting  day  drew  crowds 
to  the  churches,  and  the  house  at  which  we  attend 
ed  was  filled.  The  Rector  had  called  on  Mr.  F., 
and  accompanied  him  to  the  church,  but  did  not 
himself  appear  in  the  desk.  It  was  the  commu 
nion-day  in  this  church,  and  the  table  within  the 
altar  was  arranged  for  the  appropriate  and  solemn 
services,  which  the  Rector,  with  the  assistance  of 
Mr.  F.,  conducted,  after  the  sermon. 

Mr.  F.  entered  the  desk,  as  the  overture  on  the 
organ  waked  in  its  gently  swelling  strains,  which 
seemed  in  beautiful  harmony  with  the  pervading 
spirit  of  the  hour. 

There  was  something  in  the  countenance  of 
Mr.  F,,  as  he  rose  from  his  secret  prayer  and  turn 
ed  the  leaves  of  the  Bible  to  mark  the  chapters  of 
the  service  for  the  morning,  which  would  at  once 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUti.        155 

have  led  one,  given  to  the  study  of  the  human  fea 
tures,  to  regard  him  as  a  man  of  emotion  and  ar 
dent  religious  feeling.  And  yet  his  features  were 
so  balanced,  that  nothing  sanctimonious  in  the 
lineaments  of  his  face  could  he  read,  while  the 
brow,  marked,  regular,  and  white  in  contrast  with 
his  waved  hair  of  dark  auburn,  indicated  him  to  be 
a  man  of  great  refinement,  and  thought  far  beyond 
his  years.  He  rose  and  commenced  the  services, 
and  continued  them  without  referring  with  his  eye 
to  the  prayer-book.  The  mellowed  and  often  pa 
thetic  intonation  of  his  voice,  which  exhibited  with 
out  affectation  the  nicer  shades  of  thought  in  the 
prayers — the  intense  interest  which  he  threw  into 
the  chapters  of  the  morning  lessons — and  the  abso 
lute  thrill  of  emotion  with  which  he  read,  before 
the  sermon,  Henry  Kirk  White's  Hymn,  beginning 
with  the  lines, 

"  Jesus,  and  shall  it  ever  be, 
A  mortal  man  ashamed  of  thee  V 

led  the  audience  to  anticipate  high  gratification 
from  the  discourse.  Mr.  F.,  however  without  stu 
dying  for  effect,  had  gone  to  the  services  of  the 
morning  with  only  one  purpose  ;  and  that  was,  to 
benefit  his  hearers  as  far  as  his  abilities  should 
permit ;  and  had  taken  an  occasional  sermon  which 
he  thought  would  meet  the  case  of  some  of  his 
friends,  at  least,  and  not  prove  an  unseasonable 
topic  for  the  meditation  of  the  congregation,  in 


156         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

view  of  the  communion  solemnities  before  them. 
He  rose  in  the  pulpit  with  modesty,  and  pronounc 
ed  his  text  :  "  EVERY  ONE  THAT  LOVETH  is  BORN  OF 
GOD."  1  John  iv.  7. 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  the  writer  to  give  the 
language  of  Mr.  F.'s  morning  discourse,  much  of 
which  was  extemporaneous,  as  he  proceeded.  But 
it  is  within  the  design  of  these  pages  to  specify 
the  sentiments  of  the  preacher,  as  he  advanced 
with  his  subject,  and  at  times  to  catch  the  style  of 
his  impassioned  eloquence. 

In  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  affirmed,  in 
the  commencement  of  his  sermon,  there  is  enough 
to  render  the  Christian  happy.  So  the  language 
of  St.  Paul  implies,  when  he  exhorts  the  Philippians 
in  view  of  their  onward  hopes  and  present  privi 
leges,  "  always  to  rejoice."  So  also  in  his  trium 
phant  language,  when  recalling  his  own  anticipa 
tions,  and  the  assurance  that  there  was  soon  to 
open  before  him,  the  blessedness  of  the  eternally 
happy  :  "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight — I  have  kept 
the  faith — henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a 
crown  of  righteousness." 

This  same  state  of  assurance,  Mr.  F.  believed 
to  be  attainable  by  most  Christians,  as  the  result  of 
a  persuasion  of  one's  reconciliation  with  God. 
But  this  persuasion  of  one's  reconciliation  must 
be  built  on  evidence  of  Christian  character,  which  is 
to  be  seen,  known,  felt,  and  as  intelligibly  per- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        157 

c«ivcd  as  evidence  of  any  other  fact,  which  is  ad 
dressed  to  our  moral  perception.  And  it  is  to  be 
apprehended  that  many  minds  troubled  by  doubts 
and  fears,  remain  in  this  state  of  painful  agitation, 
from  the  circumstance,  that  they  either  direct  their 
inquiry  for  evidence  of  Christian  character  where 
it  cannot  properly  be  found,  or  else,  do  not  give 
the  evidence  the  same  credibility  in  their  own 
case,  which  the  same  force  of  testimony,  relating 
to  other  things  than  religion,  would  leave  upon 
their  convictions. 

The  purpose,  then,  of  Mr.  F.,  in  the  selection 
of  his  theme  for  his  morning's  discourse,  was  to  in 
vite  the  attention  of  his  audience  to  some  particu 
lars,  which,  as  he  deemed  them,  go  to  make  up  the 
true  evidences  of  Christian  character.  "  EVERY  ONE 

THAT  LOVETH,  IS  BORN  OF  GOD." 

But  rightly  to  conceive  of  the  evidences  of  the 
"  new  birth,"  we  need  clearly  to  perceive  in  what 
precisely  consists  the  change  for  the  evidence  of 
which  we  are  to  seek.  It  is  very  obvious  that  we 
cannot  know  what  are  the  evidences  of  a  change  of 
heart  or  conversion,  unless  we  know  what  conver 
sion  itself  is.  And  not  to  mistake  in  his  illustra 
tions,  in  the  preliminary  part  of  his  discourse 
while  making  the  inquiry  as  to  what,  in  itself,  con 
stituted  the  change  in  moral  character,  Mr.  F.  in 
stanced  the  three  Scripture  cases  of  Paul,  the  jailer 
and  Lydia ;  avoiding  what  was  deemed  to  be  too 
14, 


158        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

frequently  an  occurrence  from  the  pulpit,  and  cer 
tainly  very  illogical  writing,  viz.,  the  confounding 
of  the  evidences  of  conversion  with  conversion 
itself,  by  dwelling  only  on  the  evidences  of  this 
conversion  when  conversion  itself  was  the  subject 
of  description  and  discourse. 

The  case  of  Paul  was  instanced  first.  We  see 
him,  as  the  narrative  describes  the  circumstances 
connected  with  his  conversion,  on  his  way  to 
Damascus.  His  heart  was  burning  against  the 
cause  of  Christ  and  its  adherents.  Suddenly,  while 
advancing  on  his  course  with  purposes  of  persecu 
tion,  he  is  surprised  by  miraculous  occurrences 
around  him.  He  is  convinced  that  such  an  exhibi 
tion  is  beyond  the  power  of  a  man  like  himself ; 
and  that  a  religion  and  its  abettors  which  had  such 
evidence  of  its  divinity,  must  be  true.  Paul,  char 
acterized  ever,  as  we  would  suppose  him  to  have 
been  from  what  we  gain  from  his  biography,  for 
acting  according  to  his  convictions  of  the  trutb, 
takes  his  purpose  on  the  spot,  to  acknowledge  the 
authority  before  him ;  and  says  in  unaffected  sin 
cerity,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do,"  with 
a  determination  which  ruled  his  future  course,  to 
go  forward  as  the  future  disciple  of  Jesus  Christ. 
This  was  his  fixed  determination,  in  view  of  the 
reasons  and  influences  which  urged  it.  He  went 
forward  accordingly. 

Now,  in  this  case  of  Paul,  many  minds  seem  to 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         159 

confound  the  miraculous  occurrences  attendant  on. 
the  conversion  of  Paul,  with  the  particular  of  his 
conversion  itself;  and  thus,  by  a  general  inference, 
making  conversion  a  miraculous  thing,  which  God 
is  to  effect  alone  by  his  omnipotent  power,  to  which, 
in  this  case,  Paul,  they  say,  of  necessity  yielded. 
And  hence,  they  infer,  that  when  the  time  for  their 
conversion  comes,  God  in  some  like  manner,  as  to 
the  exercise  of  his  omnipotent  power,  will  work  in 
some  mysterious  and  irresistible  way  upon  their 
souls,  and  convert  them.  But  this,  said  Mr.  F.,  is 
not  a  right  perception  of  the  case  before  us  as  he 
viewed  it.  There  was  nothing  miraculous  in  the 
particular  of  Paul's  change  of  heart,  so  far  as  the 
moral  change  itself  is  concerned,  which  precisely 
constituted  his  conversion.  The  miracles  occurred 
to  convince  this  man  that  the  religion  of  Jesus 
Christ,  which  he  then  was  on  his  way  to  Damascus 
to  persecute  and  to  contend  against,  was  the  true 
religion.  So  St.  Paul  saw  it,  and  understood  it. 
He  reasoned  justly ;  for  no  power  could  effect  such 
manifestations,  in  the  circumstances  in  which  he 
was  then  placed,  unless  it  were  the  true  God. 
And  what  was  declared  in  such  circumstances  by 
such  a  Being,  he  knew  ought  to  be  adhered  to  and 
followed  ;  and  under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
urging  him  through  these  demonstrations  of  the 
truth,  he  yielded  up  his  heart  to  God,  to  be  his 
future  follower.  But  was  there  any  absolute  neces- 


160         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

sity  in  the  case,  which  compelled  Paul  thus  to 
yield  obedience  to  the  convictions  of  his  mind  1 
Why  did  not  he,  like  the  Scribes  and  the  Pharisees, 
and  the  Chief  Priest,  and  Alexander,  and  John,  who 
together  confessed  that  a  "  notable  miracle  had 
been  done  and  none  could  deny  it" — why  did  not 
he,  like  them,  withhold  his  determination  to  be 
come  a  follower  of  that  Jesus  Christ,  notwithstand 
ing  his  convictions  1  He  was  no  more  convinced 
of  the  miraculous  occurrences  around  him  than 
were  those  men.  And  as  surely  might  he  have 
withheld  his  purpose  of  discipleship  to  Christ  as 
they,  and  turned  away  from  his  Lord,  notwithstand 
ing  his  convictions,  as  did  the  Chief  Priest  and 
Alexander  and  John  and  the  Scribes.  But  Paul 
did  not  thus  act.  When  once  convinced,  as  he 
now  was  by  these  miraculous  occurrences,  under 
the  influence  of  the  Spirit  5  he,  on  the  spot,  took 
his  decision  of  mind— his  determination  of  heart 
in  view  of  what  such  a  decision  would  involve,  in 
view  of  duty,  and  his  interests,  that  henceforth  he 
would  throw  in  his  lot  with  the  sincere  followers 
of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  he  exclaims,  in  the  sincerity 
of  a  convinced  and  surrendered  heart,  "  Lord  what 
wilt  thou  have  me  to  do,"  with  the  controlling  pur 
pose  of  his  soul  to  go  forward  in  obedience  to  the 
discovered  will  of  his  Lord.  "Here  then"  said  Mr. 
F.  "  in  this  voluntary,  unnecessitated,  final  decision 
of  PauVs  mind,  which,  under  the  influence  of  the 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         161 

Holy  Spirit  that  urged  it,  gave  up  his  heart  by  a 
purpose  that  controlled  his  future  course  to  be  an 
humble  and  obedient  follower  of  Jesus  Christ,  was 
the  precise  thing  which  constituted  Paul's  moral 
change — the  change  of  heart,  which  is  conversion. 
It  was  a  free  and  considerate  act  of  the  mind  of  a 
considerate  and  decided  man,  in  view  of  the  reasons 
which  urged,  and  commanded,  and  commended  it. 
He  saw  that  it  was  duty.  He  felt  the  obligation. 
He  knew  it  to  be  his  interest.  It  was  a  rational, 
considerate,  and  unnecessitated  purpose  of  his  mind 
as  much  so  as  was  the  decision  of  our  own, 
which  brought  every  individual  of  us  this  morn 
ing  within  this  temple  of  our  God.  And  it  was 
such  a  free  determination,  on  his  part,  which  the 
miraculous  occurrences  about  him  designed  to 
effect.  And  for  this  free  decision  on  his  part  he  was 
responsible.  And,  my  hearers"  continued  Mr.  F., 
in  language  as  near  as  the  writer  can  quote  it,  "  it 
is  this  free  and  controlling  decision  of  the  mind 
which  constitutes  every  unrenewed  man's  obliga 
tion,  who  is  this  day  before  me.  And  when  the 
Holy  Ghost  moves  over  the  sensibilities  of  your 
souls,  and  in  his  word  and  by  his  providence, 
touches  the  fountain-spring  of  your  tears,  as  they 
flow  in  sorrow  or  gush  in  grateful  joy,  it  is  this 
decision  which  his  commission  bears  him  forth  to 
effect,  when  l  convincing  of  sin  and  of  righteous 
ness  and  of  a  judgment  to  come.'  Paul  might 
H* 


162         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

have  withheld  this  obligated  purpose  of  his  soul, 
and  still  gone  on  like  the  convicted  Scribes  of  his 
own  day,  or  the  convinced  but  unyielding  minds 
of  thousands  in  our  time.  But  his  course  was  dif 
ferent — was  wiser — was  the  fit  act  of  a  rational  and 
immortal  mind.  Years  after,  when  recurring  back 
to  the  thrilling  scene,  he  exclaims,  'Whereupon, 
O  king  Agrippa,  I  was  not  disobedient  to  the  heav 
enly  calling,'  as  his  own  language  implies  he 
might  have  been.  But  he  yielded  to  evidence. 
He  decided  to  act  in  view  of  it.  'Lord,  what  wilt 
thou  have  me  to  do,'  bursted  from  his  quivering 
lip  j  and  in  the  spirit  of  the  humble  penitent  and 
devoted  follower  of  his  persecuted  but  now  adored 
Lord,  he  goes  forward  as  one  of  the  fixed  and  un 
wavering  band  of  the  then  despised  and  crucified 
Nazarine." 

Mr.  F.,  in  his  own  glowing  language,  next  des 
cribed  the  case  of  the  jailer.  It  was  different  from 
Paul's,  but  alike  attended  by  miraculous  circum 
stances.  His  convictions  were  the  same  as  Paul's. 
The  design  of  the  miracles  under  the  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  was  to  produce  these  like  convic 
tions  ;  and  induce  the  like  surrender  of  the  heart 
on  the  part  of  the  jailer,  in  view  of  such  demonstra 
tions  of  right  and  divinity.  Nothing  but  the  hand 
of  the  Eternal  could  effect  the  commotions  of  the 
earthquake,  and  the  unbolting  of  the  prison-doors  ; 
and  the  Deity  would  not  work  such  wonders  in 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        1G3 

support  of  falsehood.  The  jailer  rushes  before  the 
disciples  of  his  God,  with  such  convictions  and 
purpose  of  heart,  to  devote  himself  to  the  lot  and 
the  fortunes  of  the  followers  of  such  a  power. 
"  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved,"  is  the  language 
of  an  agitated  spirit;  and  the  inquiry  fell  from 
the  lip  with  a  full  decision  on  his  part,  to  yield  a 
future  obedience  to  the  principles  of  that  Jesus, 
whom  these  men  served.  It  was  this  controlling 
decision  of  the  jailer's  mind,  governing  his  future 
course,  which  constituted  his  conversion.  It  was 
free.  It  was  final.  It  was  urged  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
But  he  might  have  withheld  it,  and  like  Annas  the 
Chief  Priest,  and  John,  and  Alexander,  who  sat  in 
judgment  on  the  apostles,  might  have  gone  on 
still  in  his  old  course,  in  spite  of,  and  in  full  con 
fession  of  this  evidence,  as  they  confessed  and 
eternally  ruined  their  souls.  He  decided  aright — 
in  view  of  his  convictions  of  truth  and  duty,  as 
every  other  person  is  now  left  to  decide  as  a  free, 
and  accountable,  and  immortal  spirit,  urged  by  all 
the  considerations  which  the  Holy  Ghost  can  bring 
to  bear  upon  him,  to  induce  such  a  surrender  of 
the  soul. 

The  case  of  Lydia  was  yet  different.  Only  the 
words  of  Paul  were  breaking  on  her  ear,  while  no 
miraculous  demonstrations  verified  the  truths  that 
were  now  moving  the  sensibilities  of  her  heart. 
Her  bosom  heaves.  Her  eye  fills  with  the  succes- 


164        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

sive  tear,  as  she  hangs  on  the  lip  of  the  holy  man 
while  he  is  concluding  the  story  of  the  Son  of  God. 
And  here  she  takes  her  purpose,  that  her  lot  shall 
be  with  the  followers  of  this  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 
'•  She  attended  unto  the  things  which  were  spoken 
of  Paul,"  adds  the  sacred  writer,  who  describes  the 
thrilling  scene  ;  and  when  the  apostle  has  ended, 
with  the  evidence  of  Christian  character  already 
glowing  in  her  bosom,  she  goes  to  the  holy  man 
with  the  spirit  of  genuine  Christian  hospitality, 
and  says,  "  If  ye  have  judged  me  faithful  to  the 
Lord,  come  to  my  house  and  abide  there." 

We  then  see,  was  the  continued  sentiment  of 
Mr.  F.,  in  these  three  cases,  that  each  differs 
from  the  other.  Their  circumstances  were  differ 
ent,  the  habit  of  their  minds  was  different ;  and 
their  feelings,  modified  by  their  circumstances, 
consequently  were  various.  But  while  their  habits 
were  various,  and  their  circumstances  differed, 
their  purpose  of  heart  was  one — their  decision  of 
mind  the  same.  It  controlled  their  future  course  in 
obedient  discipleship  to  Jesus  Christ.  And  this  was 
the  act  of  their  minds  which  constituted  their  mo 
ral  change — their  change  of  heart — their  new-birth 
— their  regeneration — their  conversion.  It  was 
free,  full,  final,  and  taken  in  view  of  the  truth,  their 
consequent  responsibilities,  their  duty  and  their 
eternal  interests. 

But  suppose  the  warm  hearted Lydia  had  sought 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        165 

for  some  miraculous  display  to  be  attendant  on  her 
conversion,  as  evidence  of  her  change  of  heart, 
would  she  have  found  it  1  No.  Or  suppose  the 
jailer,  hearing  of  the  case  of  Paul's  blindness,  had 
sought  for  a  like  incident  in  the  circumstances  of 
his  conversion,  as  evidence  of  his  change  of  heart, 
would  he  have  found  it  1  No.  Or  suppose  Paul, 
after  the  conversion  of  the  jailer,  had  sought  for  an 
earthquake  in  the  circumstances  of  his  conversion, 
would  he  have  found  it  1  No.  And  further  still. 
Had  these  things  all  occurred  in  each  of  the  cases 
supposed,  would  it  have  afforded  either  of  them 
evidence  of  a  change  of  heart  1  No,  none.  These 
things  were  no  evidence  of  conversion.  The  ob 
ject  of  the  miraculous  display  in  the  conversion  of 
these  to-be-followers  of  Jesus  Christ,  was  to  con 
vince  them  of  the  truthy  to  which  they  might  or  they 
might  not  yield;  and  to  influence  them,  if  they 
might  be  influenced  in  view  of  their  convictions,  to 
give  up  their  hearts  to  God,  by  a  full,  free,  and  con 
trolling  purpose  of  their  souls,  to  go  forward  as  the 
future  disciples  of  the  Son  of  God. 

Here,  then,  it  was  apprehended,  in  the  continued 
sentiment  of  Mr.  F.,  that  there  was  to  be  found  one 
reason  why  the  evidences  of  Christian  character 
often  gain  so  faint  an  impression  on  the  minds  of 
many,  who,  in  the  just  and  proper  evidences  of 
Christian  character,  we  are  to  deem  the  conscien 
tious  followers  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  direct  their 


166        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

inquiries  to  a  wrong  point.  In  the  three  cases 
which  have  been  instanced,  they  do  not  rightly  dis 
criminate  between  the  miraculous  occurrences 
which  are  brought  to  bear  on  the  minds  of  some 
characters  in  the  apostle's  days,  to  convince  them 
of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  what  are 
the  real  evidences  that  those  same  minds  yielded 
themselves  up  in  obedience  to  their  convictions, 
which  were  thus  produced  in  their  perceptions  of 
the  truth.  The  consequence  often  is,  that  many, 
when  seeking  for  the  evidences  of  their  conversion, 
look  for  something  miraculous,  or  mystic,  or 
strange,  while  it  is  yet  something  they  do  not  de 
fine,  and  which  is  indescribable,  and  only  imaginary. 
And  as  they  find  not  the  evidence  of  this  ideal  but 
confused  yet  believed  to  be  necessary  mystic  action 
of  their  minds,  in  connection  with  their  religious 
experience  in  conversion,  they  continue  to  dwell 
in  fears — doubts — darkness — and  sometimes,  in 
despair;  and  never  "rejoice"  according  to  the  ex 
hortation  of  Paul  in  view  of  their  high  expectations. 
And  in  some  cases,  (and  they  have  not  been  a  few,) 
with  such  perversion  of  true  sentiment  in  relation 
to  the  evidences  of  what  is  a  necessary  change  of 
heart,  the  despairing  inquirer  has  ended  his  exist 
ence  in  the  delirium  of  a  suicide. 

The  precise  thing,  then,  in  the  continued  senti 
ment  of  Mr.  F.'s  discourse,  which  we  need  to  know, 
as  we  learn  from  these  cases  of  conversion  which 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         167 

have  been  instanced,  is,  not  whether,  in  our  expe 
rience  we  have  had  all  the  attending  circumstances 
which  really  have  occurred,  or  which  are  affirmed 
to  have  occurred  in  the  experience  of  others  at 
their  conversion,  but  whether  we  have  taken  this 
free,  full  and  controlling  purpose  of  our  souls  to  go 
forward,  as  the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  does 
this  decision  of  our  hearts  govern  our  external  ac 
tions  in  obedience  to  the  principles  of  the  New  Testa 
ment?  It  matters  not  ho\v  we  have  reached  this 
purpose  of  heart.  It  matters  not  when  we  came  to 
it.  It  matters  not  where.  It  is  its  possession,  on 
which  our  safety  depends,  and  by  which  our  Chris 
tian  character  is  rightly  decided.  It  is  what  con 
stituted  the  conversion  of  Paul — the  jailer — and 
Lydia.  It  is  what  God  urges,  and  the  Saviour  en 
treats,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  brings  his  influences  to 
bear  upon  the  mind  to  effect.  And  if  we  do  pos 
sess  it,  and,  by  consequence,  are  acting  on  it,  then 
have  we  reason  to  thank  God  that  he  has  led  us  by 
his  influences,  whatever  they  may  have  been,  thus 
to  surrender  our  hearts  to  him;  and  henceforth 
should  we  go  forward  rejoicing — in  the  language 
of  the  apostle,  "rejoicing  ever  more." 

Mr.  F.  having  given  this  illustration  by  Scripture 
example,  of  what  constitutes  a  change  of  heart, 
and  consequent  Christian  character,  he  proceeded 
to  offer,  according  to  the  plan  of  his  discourse, 
some  reflections  illustrative  of  the  EVIDENCES  of 


168        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR* 

this  change  of  heart,  and  of  the  possession  of  this 
Christian  character.     He  quoted  three  sets  of  pas 
sages    from    the  Scriptures,    associated   with   the 
evidences  of  Christian  character.     The  first  was 
the  theme  he  had  selected  for  his  discourse,  with 
its  kindred  expressions  :    "Every  one  that  loveth 
is  born  of  God."     "  God  is  love,  and  he  that  dwel- 
leth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in   him." 
"  We  love  him  because  he  first  loved  us."     These 
are  passages  associated  with  LOVE  TOWARDS  GOD,  as 
evidence  of  Christian  character.     The  next  set  of 
texts  were  connected  with  love  to  the  brethren,  as 
another   evidence   of  discipleship  to   Christ ;    and 
that  he  who  possesses  it  is  "  born  of  God," — "  con 
verted," — "  regenerated," — and  has  "  passed  from 
death  unto  life  ;"  terms  which,  when  they  are  pro 
perly   analyzed,  mean  one  and    the    same  thing  ; 
and  the  very  thing  which  has  been  illustrated  by 
the  remarks  connected  with  Paul,  the  jailer,  and 
Lydia.     The  next  set  of  texts  had  reference  to  the 
keeping  of  the  commandments  of  God,  as  a  further 
evidence  of  Christian  character.     From  these  pas 
sages  were  gathered  three  particulars,  as  evidences 
of  Christian  character.    The  first  was  LOVE  TO  GOD  j 
the  second,  LOVE  TO  THE  BRETHREN  ;  the  third,  KEEP 
ING  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  GOD  j  and  the  passages 
quoted  were  mostly  recorded  on  the  pages  of  the 
Bible,  especially  to   let  those  know,   into  whose 
hands  it  should  fall,  whether  or  not  they  were  the 


ELLA  T.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         169 

disciples  of  Jesus  Christ;  "hereby  we  know," 
"by  this  we  know;"  "we  know  because;"  and 
"  by  this  shall  all  men  know."  What  could  be 
more  explicit — what  laid  down  more  definitely,  and 
with  greater  precision  1  If  we  have  these  charac 
teristics  of  a  child  of  God — of  those  who  have 
passed  from  "  death  unto  life," — who  have  been 
"  born  again  ;" — why  should  we  hesitate  to  take 
home  to  our  bosoms  the  assurance  that  we  are  the 
reconciled  children  of  God,  and  be  elated  with 
grateful  joy  as  we  anticipate  the  hour  when  we 
shall  pass  from  this  earth's  friendships — its  joys — 
its  griefs — its  changes — and  open  our  entranced 
vision  on  the  glories  of  the  untried  and  blessed 
state  of  changeless  happiness  1 

Mr.  F.  proceeded  to  inquire,  how  it  should  be 
satisfactorily  known  to  those  before  him,  that  they 
were  possessed  of  these  evidences  of  Christian 
character  ;  and  solicited  their  attention  while  he 
replied,  in  the  remaining  part  of  his  discourse,  in 
connection  with  the  first  class  of  the  passages  which 
he  had  quoted,  that  "  He  that  loveih  is  born  of 
God." 

To  know  that  we  possess  the  characteristic  of 
discipleship,  designated  by  LOVE  TO  GOD,  we  are  to 
make  the  inquiry  in  many  particulars,  in  the  same 
way  that  we  would  assure  ourselves  of  our  affec 
tion  for  an  earthly  friend.  Of  such  a  friend  we 
know  we  are  pleased  to  speak.  To  such  a  friend 
15 


170        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

we  find  pleasure  in  speaking.  For  the  interests, 
and  in  the  defence  of  such  a  friend,  we  are  happy 
to  speak.  We  are  happy  in  hearing  of  the  pros 
perity  of  the  cause  of  such  a  friend.  We  are 
grieved  when  we  hear  of  any  injury  done  to  the 
cause  of  that  friend.  If  we  know  his  wishes,  it 
will  give  us  pleasure  to  further  them ;  and  if  it  be 
in  our  power  and  circumstances,  we  will  advance 
the  interests  and  the  wishes  of  that  friend.  If 
such  a  friend  is  very  dear  to  us,  we  are  willing  to 
make  very  great  sacrifices,  if  necessary,  in  promo 
ting  his  interests,  and  in  the  defence  of  his  charac 
ter.  In  the  reception  of  favours  and  kindness  from 
that  friend,  we  acknowledge  those  favours  and 
kindness  with  a  grateful  feeling.  And  if,  in  an 
hour  of  thoughtlessness  or  forgetfulness,  or  in 
view  of  some  other  interest,  we  have  injured  this 
friend  in  any  way,  unprovoked,  and  in  spite  of  all 
his  kindness,  on  the  return  of  our  better  mind  the 
reflecting  consciousness  of  such  action  brings  into 
the  bosom  a  deep  sense  of  our  uningenuousness — 
perhaps  baseness  and  hardihood.  And  if  the  heart 
indeed  relents,  it  may  wret  our  eye  with  a  tear  of 
contrition,  and  draw  forth  the  confession  of  our 
unkindness,  while  with  bitterness  of  spirit  we 
lam^iit  our  fault. 

Mr.  F.,  in  this  connection,  appealed  to  his 
Christian  hearers,  if  they  had  not  already  run  the 
parallel  in  their  own  minds,  and  found  some  analogy 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        171 

between  the  feelings  specified,  and  those  which,  at 
times,  they  had  cherished  towards  God.  To  ren 
der  it  still  plainer,  he  continued  to  inquire  if  they 
had  not  in  days  past  found  it  a  pleasure  in  secret, 
to  lay  open  to  their  Father  who  seeth  in  secret,  a 
heart  sometimes  oppressed  with  sorrow ;  and  to 
tell  him  all  their  wo,  and  at  other  times  their  joy  1 
He  asked  not  whether  they  always  found  such  in 
terviews  equally  interesting  to  their  spirits,  but 
were  such  seasons  conscientiously  observed,  with 
a  desire  to  please  their  God  and  to  observe  his 
precepts ;  and  would  nothing  of  this  earth  tempt 
them  to  forego  the  welcome  privilege  of  such  in 
terviews  with  their  Creator  1  And  then,  was  it 
not  a  pleasure  to  them  to  hear  of  that  God,  as  a 
Being  who  stands  to  them  in  the  relationship  of  one 
•vrho  has  done  them  good,  and  whom  they  feel  that 
they  would  ever  regard  as  their  friend,  and  one 
who  has  obligations  on  them  as  a  God  of  love ; 
and  did  they  not  find  it  a  part  which  they  willingly 
have  performed,  and  which  gave  them  pleasure,  to 
speak  for  the  honour  and  in  commendation  of  this 
Being!  Did  they  not  delight  to  recommend  to 
others  the  excellency  of  God's  character,  that  they 
might  win  from  them  the  affection  which  they 
owed  to  a  Being  of  such  perfections,  and  of  so 
much  kindness  to  them  1  And  when  they  heard  the 
name  of  such  a  friend  trifled  with,  did  it  not  wake 
in  their  bosoms  the  feelings  of  ingenuous  sorrow, 


^TT.4    Y.     OX   THE    JULY  TOUE. 


and  the  emotion  of  holy  displeasure  I  And  when 
they  heard  of  the  prosperity  of  the  cause  of  their 
God,  when  the  interests  which  the  precepts  of  his 
law  inculcates,  and  for  the  advancement  of  which 
he  sent  his  Son  into  the  world,  are  seen  to  prevail  — 
when  they  hear  of  many  turning  from  the  error  of 
their  ways  to  holiness  —  -and  they  see  one  here  and 
another  there  coming  to  Christ  and  surrendering 
their  hearts  to  him  to  he  his  disciples  —  did  not  all 
these  things  wake  an  emotion  of  delight  in  their 
bosoms  ;  and  was  it  not  something  in  which  they 
felt  an  interest  :  was  it  not  something  more  than 
a  mere  passive  complacency,  which  onr  very  con 
stitution,  even  were  we  devils,  would  require  that 
we  should  feel,  while  contemplating  virtue 
added  Mr.  F.  nearly  in  the  following  language,  "all 
this  you  do  feel  ;  and  I  doubt  not,  my  Christian 
friends,  but  that  a  tear  of  swelling  joy  has  often 
stolen  silently  from  your  eye,  as  you  have  marked 
some  of  your  beloved  friends  advance  to  this  altar, 
and  here  declare,  for  the  first  time,  before  a  world, 
and  angels,  and  heaven,  their  purposes  of  future 
discipleship  to  their  Lord  ;  and  when  you  have 
seen  the  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom  invaded  — 
when  you  have  marked  the  prevalence  of  what 
marred  the  success  of  religious  effort  —  to  delay, 
and  finally  to  defeat  the  salvation  of  souls  — 
when  you  have  witnessed  the  occurrence  of  what 
tended  to  dissipate  the  serious  thoughts  which 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JCT.Y  TOUB.        173 

were  awaking  in  the  minds  of  friends,  urging  their 
return  of  love  to  their  God — then  have  you  felt  the 
emotion  of  sorrow  swelling  your  bosoms,   and  the 
deep  feeling  of  concern  wake  over  those  for  whom 
you  would  have   sacrificed  much,  could   you    but 
have  urged  them  into  the  kingdom  of  God.     But 
they  again  returned  with  thoughtless  indifference 
to  the  miserable  allurements   of  a  tempting  and 
heartless  world.     And  then  again,  if  in  an  hour  of 
your  own  forgetfulness — an  hour  when  you  have 
ceased  to  be  watchful  over  your  own  responsibili 
ties  and  becoming  course   of  professed  friendship 
for  Jesus  Christ — an  hour  when  the  world,  in  some 
of  its  shapes  of  conviviality,  dissipation,  and  thou 
sand  forms  of  temptation,  has  drowned  too  many 
of  your  serious  thoughts,  you  have  wandered  from 
what  you  have  deemed  your  Christian  duty,  and 
have  thus  given  cause  for  reflection  to  be  made 
upon   the    observed  defect  in  the  consistency  be 
tween  your  actious  and  your  professed  love  for  him 
who  died  for  you — oh,  my  Christian  friends,  has 
not  the  reflection  then  brought  with  it,  on  your  re 
turn  to  a  better  mind,  a  sorrowful  emotion  of  re 
gret,  and  a  bitter  reflection  of  self-condemnation, 
which,  when  your  heart  indeed  relented,  found  re 
lief  for  a  broken  spirit    only   in   a  free    and  full 
confession  of  your  neglect — your  forgetfulness — 
and  fault  against  the  God  of  love,  and  whom  you 
yet  adore  as  your  best,  and  long-forbearing,  and 
Jo* 


174*  ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY    TOUR. 

forgiving  friend  1  Yes,"  continued  Mr.  F.  j  "  and 
in  the  description  given,  surely  do  you  find  some 
resembling  portraiture  of  your  own  feelings.  And 
if  such  feelings,  cherished  towards  an  earthly 
friend,  would  conclusively  evince  the  sincerity  of 
a  devoted  affection,  they  no  less  declare  the  sin 
cerity  of  your  love,  where  possessed,  towards  your 
Friend  in  heaven.  Believe  then  the  evidence," 
Mr.  F.  continued  at  this  point  of  his  discourse, 
as  he  looked  over  the  congregation  with  confi 
ding  assurance  that  therewas  reason  in  the  ex 
position  and  the  illustration  which  he  had  given, 
(and  which  here  has  but  faintly  been  reported,) 
why  such  should  be  the  result  of  such  perceived 
feelings  within  the  Christian's  bosom.  "Believe 
the  evidence.  Let  not  the  fear  of  deception,  my 
Christian  friends,  hinder  you  from  cherishing 
the  feeling  of  confidence  where  the  evidence  is 
yours.  Your  persuasion  of  reconciliation  should 
be  built  on  evidence,  and  only  on  evidence.  And 
evidence  here  should  be  as  fully  convincing  as 
testimony  on  any  other  subject.  You  have  the 
rule:  'EVERYONE  THAT  LOVETH  is  BORN  OF  GOD.' 
Do  you  not  know  that  these  feelings,  which  I  have 
described,  are  the  possession  of  your  bosoms  1 
Then  hesitate  not,  in  your  own  case,  the  intended 
result  of  such  perceived  evidence,  a  grateful  peace 
of  mind  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  Take  to  your 
bosom  the  consolation  which  springs  from  the  assu- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        175 

ranee  of  sins  forgiven,  and  of  a  reconciliation  with 
your  God.  Go  on  in  your  Christian  course,  with 
hearts  still  more  conscientious — still  more  self- 
denying — still  more  happy.  '  Rejoice  evermore  ! 
aid  again  I  say,  rejoice.'  And  to-day,"  con 
tinued  Mr.  F.,  with  more  impassioned  intonation, 
"  to-day,  with  such  feelings  of  happy  assurance, 
come  to  this  table  of  your  Lord.  Believe  him 
to  be  your  friend,  well-pleased  by  this  demon 
stration  of  your  devotion  and  purposes  of  love 
and  faith  plighted  before  heaven  and  the  world. 
Here,  as  ye  muse  on  the  love  of  that  Saviour  who 
died  for  your  rescue,  here  open  all  your  heart  to 
him  as  to  one  you  know  will  sympathize  in  all  your 
sorrows  and  in  all  your  joys.  He,  this  day,  wishes 
not  that  your  mind  should  be  filled  with  doubts. 
He  is  no  hard  master.  He  is  your  elder  brother; 
and  his  heart  is  full  of  all  those  feelings,  that  make  a 
friend  a  worthy  possession.  Tell  him  then,"  con 
tinued  Mr.  F.  with  yet  deeper  pathos,  "  tell  him, 
as  ye  this  day,  and  around  this  board,  recall 
the  godlike  sacrifice  of  the  crucified  Jesus,  tell 
him  the  overflowings  of  your  love.  Tell  him  your 
regrets  for  the  past.  Tell  him  your  purposes  of 
devouter  attachment  and  consistency  of  profession. 
Tell  him  all  your  gratitude  for  his  favours.  Tell 
him  that  your  tears  have  flowed  too  seldom  over 
the  recollections  of  his  sufferings  for  you.  Tell 
him  your  heart  has  been  too  cold,  your  love  too 


176         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

faint,  your  efforts  of  his  honour  too  feeble,  your 
defence  for  his  cause  too  timid.  But  tell  him,  here 
is  your  heart,  and  here,  this  day,  you  renew  its 
surrender  to  him — your  life — your  soul — your  all, 
and  that  on  his  cross  hangs  all  your  hopes  of  rescue 
from  eternal  wo — all  your  bright  anticipations  of 
heaven,  of  happiness,  of  bliss  ! 

"  But  to  you,  my  hearers,"  added  Mr.  F.,  as  he 
closed  the  gilded  prayer-book  which  lay  before 
him,  and  in  an  altered  tone  of  mingled  pity  and  re 
proach  continued,  "  to  you,  who  this  day  witness 
the  return  of  this  sad  and  yet  joyous  commemora 
tion  of  the  last  hour  scene  of  the  dying  Son  of  God, 
and  can  still  remain  unnumbered  among  the  pro 
fessed  followers  of  the  crucified  Jesus,  what  to  you, 
amid  the  associations  of  this  hallowed  hour,  may  I 
say  1  Nothing — if  the  godlike  love  of  Jesus  Christ 
touches  not  your  hearts  !  Nothing — if  you  can  re 
fuse,  this  day,  a  response  of  affection  for  love  so 
sincere.  Nothing — if,  at  the  close  of  this  dis 
course,  you  can  again  turn  without  emotion 
from  a  scene  which  commemorates  events 
so  thrilling  in  their  relation  to  every  deathless 
spirit,  longing  for  immortality  and  bliss ;  and  will 
single  yourselves  from  among  Christ's  approach 
ing  followers,  as  if  these  things,  which  hold 
seraphim  in  an  entranced  gaze  and  solemn  com 
mune,  were  no  concern  of  yours.  Nothing — 
if  the  blood  of  Jesus  speaks  not  to  your  sensi- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        177 

bilities — if  the  mangled  body  of  Christ  calls  forth 
no  sorrow — if  the  intonations  of  his  dying  agony 
thrills  not  your  quiverless  lip — throes  not  your 
unheaving  breast !  What  to  you  may  I  say  1  No 
thing  !  No,  nothing  !" 

As  Mr.  F.  concluded  his  discourse,  his  eye 
yet  lingered  in  fixed  abstraction  on  the  audience 
before  him.  That  brief  pause  was  as  profound  a 
silence  as  the  death  moment,  when  the  soul  takes 
its  exit  from  earth  to  the  world  unknown. 


178        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 


SECTION    XI. 

THE  services  of  the  afternoon  were  commenced. 
Mr.  F.  was  seated  within  the  altar,  around  which 
the  followers  of  Christ  that  morning  had  knelt,  and 
where,  too,  Miss  Ella  V.,  at  the  side  of  her  friend 
Mrs.  E.,  for  the  first  time  publicly  declared  a  religious 
profession  before  the  world.  It  was  known  that 
Mr.  F.  would  continue,  in  the  afternoon,  the  subject 
on  which  he  had  discoursed  in  the  morning.  The 
speaker  and  the  subject  had  sufficiently  interested 
the  morning  audience,  to  draw  a  full  house  in  the 
afternoon. 

The  prayers  were  ended.  Mr.  F.  entered  the 
pulpit  and  pronounced  his  text : 

"  WE  KNOW  THAT  WE  HAVE  PASSED  FROM  DEATH 
UNTO  LIFE,  BECAUSE  WE  LOVE  THE  BRETHREN." 

1  John  iii.  14*. 

The  speaker  briefly  recapitulated  the  particu 
lars  of  his  morning's  discourse.  He  further  pre 
mised,  that  we  should  never  hesitate,  from  the 
fear  of  being  deceived,  to  indulge  those  feelings 
which  we  deem  to  be  correct,  nor  discredit  their 
sincerity  when  we  possess  them.  Many  things 
he  believed  were  often  said,  doubtless  with  the  best 
intention,  to  preserve  us  from  deception  as  to  our 
religious  character,  or  what  is  sometimes  called  a 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        179 

false  hope,  to  which,  however,  he  could  not  assent. 
For,  the  way  to  prevent  this  self-deception,  is  not 
by  throwing  doubts  upon  what  is  real  evidence  of 
Christian  character ;  or,  where  this  evidence  is 
possessed,  to  hesitate  the  receiving  it,  with  the 
full  and  free  conviction  of  the  mind  as  to  its  reality. 
If  we  may  be  deceived  with  the  evidences  of  Chris 
tian  character  within  our  bosoms,  as  they  are  de 
lineated  on  the  pages  of  revelation,  there  can  be 
no  means  left,  by  which  to  test  the  verity  of  honest 
Christian  discipleship  ;  and  we  should  be  all  adrift, 
on  an  ocean  of  uncertainty  and  harassing  doubts. 
And  we  often  do  find  conscientious  minds  tossed 
on  the  agitating  surge  of  alarm  and  unrest,  with 
their  anxious  bosoms  bereft  of  the  rich  bequest, 
which  Jesus  Christ  designedly  left  for  their  happy 
possession  through  this  world,  while  yielding  their 
discipleship  to  him — namely,  a  peace  of  mind 
"  which  casteth  out  all  fear,"  and  a  "joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost."  The  Saviour  would  have  his  fol 
lowers,  while  on  earth,  blessed  with  confiding  trust 
in  his  love,  as  they  cast  forward  their  happy  anti 
cipations  to  the  rest,  which  shall  be  unruffled  in  its 
peace,  and  eternal  in  its  years. 

Here  Mr.  F.  quoted  several  passages  from  the 
Scriptures,  in  connection  with  his  text,  for  illus 
trating  the  further  evidence  of  Christian  character, 
namely, 

LOVE   FOR    THE    BRETHREN. 


180  ELLA    V.,    OR    TllE    JULY    TOUR. 

And  in  view  of  these  passages  it  was  affirmed,  that 
here  was  another  definite  and  distinct  characteristic 
of  Christian  discipleship — something  intelligent — 
something  fixed  :  "  We  know  that  we  have  passed 
from  death  unto  life  because  we  love  the  brethren." 
"  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disci 
ples,  if  ye  have  love  one  for  another."     As  to  the 
possession  of  Christian  character,  in  view  of  these 
expressions  from  the  Bible,  the  matter  is  not  left 
as  a  thing  about  which  we  are  to  guess — to  dream 
—to  mystify.     It  is  no  indescribable  thing.    It  is  a 
thing  about  which  there  need  be  no  doubt — no  in 
definitely  perceived  but  fearful  and  agitating  am 
biguity.     It  is  a  reality,  a  perceptible,  delineated, 
and  conscious  reality.     And  where  this  love  for  the 
brethren  is  possessed,  it  is  evidence,  on  the  authority 
of  the  Scriptures,  given  us  in  the  passages  quoted, 
expressly  to   let  us  know  our  religious  state,   of 
"  being  born  again" — of  having  "  passed  from  death 
unto    life" — of  "  knowing  God" — of  "  abiding  in 
the  light."     And  not  only  to  ourselves,  but  it  is 
evidence  to  "  all  men,"  that  we  are  his  disciples, 
"  if  we  have  love  one  to  another."     And  Christians 
know  this  evidence,  from  their  own  consciousness. 
It  is  an  emotion  which  has  often  swelled  high  their 
throeing  bosoms.     It  has  awakened  full  their  fre 
quent  sympathy.     It  has  augmented  oft  their  Chris 
tian  joys.     It  is  an  emotion  which  has  arisen  to 
wards  the  pure  and  kindred  spirit  in  sentiment  and 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         181 

feeling-,  whether  they  have  met  together  in  the 
humble  cabin  or  the  stately  mansion — whether 
clad  in  the  garb  of  poverty  or  the  vestments  of  af 
fluence.  It  is  a  kindling  spirit  which  sympathizes 
with  its  kindred  character,  wherever,  and  when 
ever,  and  however  found.  It  goes  out  into  action ; 
and  in  case  of  need  will  do  deeds  of  goodness  to 
the  object  of  kindred  sentiments  and  discipleship. 
And  where  and  when  this  evidence  is  possessed 
(and  it  is  a  thing  of  the  Christian's  own  conscious 
ness)  of  "  being  born  again" — of  "  knowing  God" — 
of  "  abiding  in  the  light,"  ought  it  not  to  yield  a 
full  conviction  to  such  a  mind,  of  the  reality  of  his 
Christian  state,  and  give  him  peace — a  peace  which 
casteth  out  all  fear — a  peace,  which  makes  religion 
a  thing  worth  the  possession,  and  a  thing,  that  may 
and  should  calm  the  spirit  amid  all  the  changes  of 
earth,  in  his  successive  griefs  and  joys. 

Mr.  F.  added  many  illustrations  upon  this  evi 
dence  of  Christian  character,  which  the  writer  will 
not  here  repeat.  And  when  the  speaker  had,  as  he 
believed,  secured  the  convictions  of  his  audience, 
he  added,  with  more  deliberate  enunciation  :  "  My 
Christian  friends,  with  these  evidences  of  Christian 
character,  you  have  reason,  this  day,  to  be  happy. 
I  advocate  not,"  he  said,  as  he  stepped  back  in 
the  pulpit,  and  yet  more  elevating  his  young 
and  dignified  person,  "  I  advocate  not  that 
you  should  be  watchless  of  your  own  Christian 
16 


182        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

state.  I  advocate  not,  that  your  hopes  should  be 
based  on  presumptuous  confidence,  where  evidence 
is  absent.  I  call  for  no  remissness  on  your  part 
for  self-examination.  On  the  contrary,  I  exhort 
you  to  watchfulness  and  self-examination  as  ye 
love  your  souls,  and  would  secure  their  salvation. 
But  I  further  exhort  you  to  give  credence,  belief, 
and  full  confidence  to  the  evidence,  when,  by  self- 
examination,  you  find  it  a  matter  of  your  own  con 
sciousness.  Else,  why  be  watchful  1  Else,  where 
fore  give  yourselves  to  self-examination  1  Believe 
me,  these  feelings  possessed  will  not  deceive  you. 
And  confidence  in  these  feelings  shall  make  you 
peaceful,  happy.  What  Christian,  then,  should  hes 
itate  this  peace  of  mind,  this  joy  of  soul  1  Yours, 
Christian  hearers,  are  high  expectations.  They 
are  immortal  heavings  which  swell  your  throeing 
bosoms.  Look  up — look  up  to  the  fair  battlements, 
that  inwall  the  heavenly  and  holy  city.  Erelong, 
those  rising  bulwarks  shall  shield  you  from  every 
agitation  of  spirit — from  every  fearful  fluctuation 
of  hope — from  every  doubt  of  suspense.  Cast  for 
ward  your  kindling  eye  of  expectation.  Soon,  ay, 
soon  a  vision  of  glory  shall  break  on  your  view, 
surpassing  the  wildest  dream  that  ever  an  unchain 
ed  fancy  drew.  Swell  high,  then,  the  grateful  emo 
tion  of  your  joyous  bosoms.  Soon,  that  gush  of 
joy — that  gleam  of  hope — that  welcome  calm  of 
spirit  shall  rise  to  an  ocean-swell  of  delightful 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         183 

emotion — shall  break  in  an  eternal  day  of  fruition — 
shall  be  perpetuated  in  an  endless  rest  of  soul. 
Forget,  for  a  moment,  all  your  tears  of  earth,  and 
look  yet  intenser  at  the  scenes  of  heaven.  There, 
in  your  far-on  view  of  those  eternal  regions,  you 
see  no  face  lined  by  the  marks  of  grief.  No  sorrow 
dims  the  immortal  cheek  with  a  tear  bursting  from 
a  disconsolate,  riven,  and  broken  heart.  There, 
the  changes  of  time  shall  have  finished  their  blight 
ing  and  their  mildew,  which,  on  earth,  sometimes 
gather  over  a  withered  spirit.  There,  O  yes, 
Christians,  your  souls,  which  here  have  weathered 
out  full  many  a  storm  of  temptation  and  trouble 
and  pain,  shall  be  anchored  safe  in  an  unruffled 
ocean  of  peace — of  bliss ;  and  wide  heaven  shall 
know  no  damp  to  the  exulting  joy  that  shall  fill  the 
bright  domain.  And  this  joy,  Christians,  is  yours, 
all,  all  is  yours,  and  yours  for  ever.  Shall  it  not 
make  you  happy — happy  on  your  course  of  earth 
as  well  as  in  the  bright  possessions  of  heaven  1 
Shall  it  not  here  dry  up  your  fastest  flowing  tears, 
as  they  yet  may  fall  over  much  that  shall  call  you 
to  weep  1  Shall  it  not  soothe  the  deepest  griefs 
that  may  yet  lie  on  your  path  through  a  world  of 
change,  to  a  changeless  state  of  joyous  being  1 
Then  give  way,  give  way,  Christians,  to  your 
privileged  emotions.  Exult  in  your  delightful  and 
joyous  anticipations.  Come,  and  without  fear  cast 
your  exulting  gaze  within  that  grave,  which,  ere- 


184        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUH. 

long  shall  hold,  in  peaceful  rest,  your  crumbling 
dust.  To  you,  the  grave  is  no  enemy.  It  is  your 
friend.  And  so  is  death — and  Christ.  Hencefor 
ward,  then,  go  on  your  course  rejoicing.  Be  thank 
ful — be  happy.  Wait  in  patience  the  summons  of 
your  dying  Lord ;  and  at  the  darkest  hour  of  your 
departing  mortality,  expect,  with  burning  devotion 
to  your  risen  Saviour,  to  be  welcomed  to  the  rest 
of  thosej  who  sleep  in  JesusJ* 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        185 


SECTION    XII. 

IT  was  customary  in  the  church  in  which  Mr. 
F.  preached,  to  postpone  the  afternoon  service  on 
communion  days,  until  the  evening.  But  the 
Rector,  having  the  assistance  of  Mr.  F.,  opened  the 
church,  as  we  have  seen,  in  the  afternoon,  at 
which  time  notice  was  given  of  the  third  or  evening 
service. 

To  me,  there  was  always  a  solemnity  about  a 
night-service,  which  is  absent  during  the  exercises 
of  the  earlier  parts  of  the  day.  The  sun  has  gone 
down,  and  the  shades  of  the  evening  have  shut  out 
all  external  objects  from  the  eye.  The  mellowed 
light  of  the  chandeliers  and  the  lamps  is  in  keeping 
with  the  serenity  of  the  hour,  and  the  still-calm  so 
suitable  for  religious  meditations.  The  notes  of 
the  organ  seem  still  sweeter  and  soft,  and  the  har 
monies  of  the  hour  prepare  the  feelings  for  the 
deepest  impressions  which  the  narrative,  and  the 
exposition,  and  the  eloquent  enforcing  of  affecting 
and  eternal  truths  can  leave  in  the  bosom  of  the  wor 
shipper. 

Mr.  F.  this  evening  was  to  conclude  his  re 
marks  on  the  subject  which  had  occupied  his  dis 
course  during  the  morning  and  the  afternoon.  A 

season  of  tender  emotion   seemed  to  have  come 

16* 


186        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

over  his  own  feelings  as  he  sat  within  the  altar 
during  the  performance  of  the  service.  He  lean 
ed  his  elbow  upon  the  communion  table  and  buried 
his  face  in  his  handkerchief.  It  might  have  been 
fatigue,  as  it  would  have  seemed  to  those  who  did 
not  know  him,  but  to  some  who  did,  he  appeared 
more  than  once  to  shed  his  tears.  The  exercises 
of  the  day  had  been  such,  that  they  were  condu 
cive  to  leave  a  susceptible  Christian  heart  affected. 
And  Mr.  F.  had  been  known,  in  view  of  his  rising 
before  a  crowded  audience,  gathered  as  listeners 
to  the  themes  pertaining  to  their  eternal  interest, 
to  weep  over  a  sense  of  his  youth,  his  respon 
sibility,  and  the  affecting  relations  he  stood  in,  as 
one  who  was  to  declare  to  them  the  words  per 
taining  to  the  onward  destinies  of  their  deathless 
spirits.  And  to-day,  he  had  witnessed  the  ap 
proach  of  some  of  his  friends  to  the  altar  within 
which  he  was  now  sitting,  among  whom  there  was 
one,  at  least,  for  whom  he  had  felt  the  interest 
and  the  solicitude  of  a  Christian  friend,  and  who, 
for  the  first  time,  this  day  had  numbered  herself 
among  the  public  followers  of  Christ. 

The  first  part  of  Mr.  F.'s  sermons  was  gener 
ally  argumentative,  illustrating  some  one  definite 
principle  of  the  Bible  ;  and  having  secured  the  con 
victions  of  his  audience  he  concluded  his  discourse 
with  great  energy  and  deepest  feeling.  The  speci 
men  already  given  is  sufficient  to  lead  us  to  infer 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        187 

this,  but  to  form  any  correct  estimate  of  the  solemn 
effects  he  left  upon  his  audience,  there  was  need  to 
listen  to  the  feeling  intonations  of  his  voice,  and 
mark  the  earnest  and  unaffected  expression  of  his 
attitudes. 

Mr.  F.  ascended  the  pulpit  this  evening,  and  his 
silent  prayer  seemed  longer  than  usual.  The  last 
strain  of  the  organ  had  ceased.  Mr.  F.  rose  and 
announced  his  text : 

"  Y£  ARE  MY  FRIENDS,  IF  YE  DO  WHATSOEVER  I 
COMMAND  YOU."  John  XV.  14. 

Obedience  to  the  commandments  of  God  was  the 
inference  which  the  speaker  drew  from  the  text, 
as  one  other  evidence  of  Christian  character. 

And  he  went  on,  illustrating  his  position  at 
length,  with  feeling  and  conclusive  reasonings, 
and  the  reciting  of  interesting  cases,  which  came 
home  to  the  apprehension  and  convictions  of  his 
auditors.  The  writer  would  like  to  report  Mr.  F.'s 
last  discourse  in  full,  holding  the  audience  as  it  did 
in  still  and  profound  attention  and  interest.  But 
the  whole  drift  of  the  sermon  was,  to  show  that 
where  a  prevailing  conscientiousness  is  found  in  the 
bosom  of  the  professed  follower  of  Christ,  there 
was  the  spirit  of  obedience,  which  corresponded 
with  the  evidence  under  consideration,  deduced 
from  the  words,  "  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  what 
soever  I  command  you." 

"  Let  me,"  said  Mr.  F.,  in  the  summing  up  of 


188        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUH. 

his  argument,  "find  this  prevailing,  delicate,  every 
where  conscientiousness  in  guiding  one's  daily 
action,  and  then  I  say,  I  have  found  one  of  the 
most  unequivocal  evidences  of  a  soul  reconciled  to 
its  God,  and  of  a  Christian  character,  which  shall 
bear  him  onward  through  a  world  of  temptation 
and  sin,  to  the  pure,  and  the  happy,  and  the  im 
mortal  realms  of  the  rescued  and  the  saved. 

"My  Christian  hearers,"  he  continued,  en 
kindling  with  his  theme  as  he  approached  its 
conclusion,  "  it  is  ever  a  grateful  task  to  a  Christian 
pastor  to  address  such  of  his  flock  as  you.  Before 
you,  he  remembers  that  all  is  bright  in  anticipa 
tion.  Not  one  cloud  shades  the  fair  prospect.  If 
doubts,  and  fears,  and  alarms  ever  arise  in  your 
hearts,  which  sometimes  agitate  the  bosoms  of  the 
holiest  and  the  best,  yet  he  knows  and  he  feels 
that  he  has  the  authority  from  the  word  of  God  to 
re-assure  you  in  your  Christian  confidence.  To 
you,  amid  all  your  agitation  of  spirit,  where  you 
find  this  prevailing  conscientiousness,  he  may  ever 
repeat  the  language  of  the  Saviour,  *  Fear  not — ye 
are  my  friends — I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you. 
And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come 
again  and  receive  you  unto  myself,  that  where  1 
am  there  ye  may  be  also.  Let  not  your  heart  be 
troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraid.'  Of  you,  he  feels 
assured,  that  neither  life,  nor  death,  nor  principali 
ties,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         189 

come,  shall  be  able  to  separate  you  from  the  love 
of  God.  If  he  looks  forward  to  the  hour,  whether 
it  shall  sooner  or  later  attend  you,  when,  like  all 
others,  you  will  have  to  pay  the  last  debt  of  nature, 
and  lie  on  your  bed  of  departure  from  this  earth, 
he  knows  that  you  have  secured  the  arm  of  one 
who  will  then  support  you  in  your  weakness  and 
your  anguish.  He  can  imagine  your  emaciated 
countenance — he  can  contemplate  your  exhausted 
state  of  nature — he  can  see,  in  prospect,  yoursunken 
eye.  But,  dreadful  as  the  contemplation  is,  he 
can  see  in  that  eye  an  illumination  that  assures 
him  that  it  shall  soon  be  re-enkindled  by  fires  im 
mortal — and  in  that  sinking  debility  of  frame,  he 
yet  has  the  evidence  in  your  case,  that  it  shall  be 
re-invigorated  with  undying  health ;  and  those 
emaciated  features  shall  be  re-illumed  with  immor 
tal  youth.  And  should  it — should  it  be  his  melan 
choly  destiny,  Christians,  ere  it  shall  be  his  lot  to 
render  up  an  account  of  his  own  stewardship,  to 
stand  over  the  grave  of  one  of  your  number,  he 
knows,  amid  the  sorrows  of  such  a  moment,  that 
he  can  say,  as  the  dust  shall  crumble  with  its  hol 
low  echoes  on  your  coffin-lids,  'Here  rests  the 
relics  of  one  who  had  placed  his  or  her  hopes  on 
Christ,  and  whose  spirit  now  breathes  its  bliss  in 
heaven.'  Yes,  as  his  thoughts  go  forward,  he  can 
recall  to  his  mind  no  one  joy  that  can  bless  an  immor 
tal  spirit,  which  he  sees  not  to  be  yours.  In  heaven, 


190         ELLA  V,,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

the  soul  shall  enter  on  its  eternal  calm.  There, 
nothing  shall  come  over  the  spirit  to  ruffle  your 
peace  of  mind — nothing  to  excite  with  painful  agi 
tation  a  spirit  so  liable,  on  earth,  to  disappointment, 
to  irritation,  to  grief.  There,  painful  remembrances 
shall  have  lost  their  daggers,  which  here  sometimes 
pierce,  with  bitter  anguish,  a  troubled  spirit.  There, 
the  social  griefs  that  here  wake  on  seeing  one  and 
another  and  another  of  a  beloved  and  united  family 
sinking  to  their  long  and  silent  rest,  and  at  length 
leaving,  may  be,  but  one  of  their  number  to  tread 
the  way  of  earth  in  loneliness  and  care,  shall  cease. 
No — it  is  not  in  the  power  of  words  to  tell  the  joy 
of  soul  or  visions  of  glory,  that  await  your  ran 
somed  spirits.  But  there,  that  joy  shall  be  full — 
and  those  visions,  eternal  and  bright — and  it  shall 
all  be  such  as  shall  meet  the  longings  of  your  social, 
intellectual,  and  deathless  spirits.  And  this,  not 
for  one  day — not  for  one  year — not  for  one  million 
of  years.  It  is  a  happiness  that  time  cannot  mea 
sure  for  its  continuance  :  it  is  a  happiness  that 
numbers  may  not  compute  for  its  fullness. 

"  Tell  me,  then,  shall  I  not^  exhort  you,  Chris 
tian  hearers,  stranger  though  I  am,  in  view  of  these 
your  bright  destinies  of  immortal  being,  and  evi 
dences  of  your  heirship  to  such  unfailing  blessed 
ness,  'to  rejoice' — to  rejoice  on  your  way  to  your 
inheritance,  so  full  of  all  that  can  make  happy — -so 
free  from  all  that  can  make  sorrowful — so  eternal 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        191 

in  its  onward  years  1  What  shade  shall  come  over 
the  prospect,  as  I  stand  here,  this  night,  addressing 
such  beings,  and  recalling  to  their  view  such  pros 
pects,  and  urging  them  to  such  rejoicings,  in  view 
of  such  eternal  relations  1  No  ! — no  ! — not  one 
shadow  shall  wave  its  dark  wing  of  melancholy,  and 
solicitude,  and  despair,  over  the  mental  vision  of 
this  joyous  moment.  To-day,  the  consoling  and 
sustaining  expectation  of  him,  who  usually  ad 
dresses  you  from  this  hallowed  place,  bears  for 
ward  his  welcome  gaze  to  the  anticipated  hour, 
when,  this  earth  having  passed  away,  and  your 
bodies  long  having  slept  in  some  of  these  vaults 
surrounding  this  temple,  ye  yet  shall  again  meet — 
and  shall  again  know — and  together,  in  heaven, 
shall  course  your  eternal  way  of  bliss  ! 

"But,  Christian  hearers,"  continued  Mr.  F., 
with  a  pause  of  eloquent  abstraction  in  his  fea 
tures,  while  many  heads  were  dropped  before  him, 
as  he  added  in  a  knver  tone,  "before  you,  there  yet 
may  be,  in  a  world  like  this,  some  sorrows  that  will 
meet  you.  Whatever  they  may  be,  I  ask,  shall  not 
such  high  expectations  prove  a  sufficient  solace  to 
your  disconsolate  hearts,  and  soothe  your  broken 
spirits  1  0  let  these  bright  visions  of  your  coming 
future  elevate  your  souls  above  the  corroding 
cares  of  life.  Shed  your  tears,  if  they  must  flow, 
when  they  are  called  for.  Suffer  the  agonies  of 
body  and  anguish  of  spirit,  if  they  must  gather  over 


192        ELLA  V.j  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

you.  But,  still  'rejoice' — rejoice  in  your  high 
and  unfailing  hopes.  Follow  to  their  graves,  if  you 
must,  those  you  love  most — for  whom  you  would 
suffer  most — to  whom  you  owe  most.  But  let  the 
assurance  that  there  is  a  deathless  state  of  joyous 
being,  bind  up  your  heaving  hearts.  There  are 
but  a  few  score  years,  at  most,  that  shall  prolong 
your  days  of  change  and  doubtful  being.  Look 
then  again  into  your  soon-to-be-opened  graves. 
Your  rest  of  body  shall  be  secure  and  peaceful, 
with  a  hope  that  shall  not  fail  you,  when  the  wel 
come  trump  of  the  archangel  shall  reinstate  your 
dismembered  dust. 

"  Would  to  God,"  added  Mr.  F.,  with  another 
momentary  pause,  "  would  to  God,  the  prospects 
of  all  this  congregation,  Christians,  were  like 
yours  !  Would  to  God  that  here  and  there  were 
not  to  be  found  one,  with  a  bosom  uncheered  with 
hopes  like  yours !  Would  to  God  it  were  so  ! 
How  long  it  shall  be  otherwise,  God  only  knows. 
But  why,  Christian  hearers,  should  one  of  these 
your  friends,  so  near  and  dear  to  you,  be  so  long 
indifferent  to  interests  which  have  touched  your 
hearts,  and  secured  the  decision  of  your  souls  1  O 
yes,  they  might,  alike  and  now,  put  in  their  plea 
for  mercy — their  prayer  for  salvation — arid  surren 
der,  by  the  full  purpose  of  their  souls,  their  hearts 
to  God.  Well  may  you  this  night  let  fall  for  them 
a  tear  of  sorrow,  and  awake  for  them  a  sigh  of 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        193 

deep  depression.  But,  Christians,  tell  them  the 
joys  they  are  neglecting.  Tell  them  the  interests 
they  cannot  compute,  which  they  are  hazarding. 
Assure  them  that  God  cannot,  and  will  not  always 
delay  the  termination  of  their  probation.  They 
must  die.  They  must  stand  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ.  And  ere  then,  they  must  secure 
the  friendship  of  Jesus  Christ,  or  be  miserably  and 
eternally  lost.  Ask  them  in  the  tenderness  of 
your  soul,  why— why  they  delay  to  join  your  num 
bers.  Nothing  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  when  God 
is  for  them,  shall  prevent  their  success,  will  they 
but  give  him  their  hearts  in  the  full  purpose  of  con 
trite  souls,  to  be  his.  '  They  shall  be  his  friends  if 
they  do  whatsoever  he  commands  them.'  Assure 
them  that  the  only  hinderance  in  the  way  of  their 
becoming  the  friends  of  Christ,  is  their  own  unwil 
lingness.  '  Ye  will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  might 
have  life.'  All  elsewhere,  in  heaven  and  on  earth, 
are  willing — are  entreating.  And  if  this  hour  they 
are  willing,  tell  them  that  there  is  no  difficulty  at 
all,  under  heaven  or  above  hell  remaining,  to  pre 
vent  them  from  at  once  coming  to  Christ,  and 
before  their  God  deciding  on  their  future  course  of 
obedience  to  his  commands.  If  you  ever  find  their 
hearts  relent,  O  urge  them,  while  thus  their  bosoms 
are  heaving,  to  make,  fearlessly,  fully,  but  humbly 
make  the  decision  between  their  souls  and  their 
God,  to  go  forward  as  his  pledged  and  unwavering 
17 


194         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

followers.  Yes,  secure  from  them  this  surrender 
of  their  hearts — this  purpose,  free,  full  and  con 
trolling,  of  their  souls.  This  is  the  point  of  their 
responsibility.  This  is  their  duty — this  their  obli 
gation.  It  is  the  point  of  responsibility  that  meets 
every  delaying  mind.  It  is  the  point  to  which  the 
jailer  was  brought,  and  Paul,  and  Lydia.  This 
decision  they  took — this  purpose  of  heart  they 
made — this  surrender,  once  and  for  ever,  was  the 
action  of  their  minds,  in  view  of  their  interests, 
their  duty,  their  salvation.  It  is  what  the  unre- 
newed  now  must  do,  in  view  of  their  interests, 
duty,  and  salvation.  There  is  no  apology  for 
delay.  There  is  no  necessity.  I  hesitate  not,  this 
night,  to  affirm,  that  the  situation  of  the  gospel 
sinner,  within  this  temple,  is  far  more  favourable 
for  his  becoming  a  Christian,  than  was  the  jailer's, 
or  Lydia's,  or  Paul's  himself.  Besides  the  testi 
mony  to  the  facts  in  their  case,  which  we  have  and 
believe,  we  have  evidences  of  the  truth  of  the  reli 
gion  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  they  had  not.  These 
evidences  have  been  accumulating  upon  us  for 
eighteen  hundred  years.  The  small  band  of  Christ's 
despised  followers  have  increased  to  millions  over 
wide-spread  Christendom,  triumphing  over  all  op 
position  of  an  idolatrous,  and  proud,  and  wicked, 
and  resisting  world.  Christians  no  longer  have  to 
fear  the  stake,  the  fagot,  the  rack,  the  amphithe 
atre,  the  dungeon,  the  gibbet.  To  be  a  Christian 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         195 

now  docs  not  always  cut  the  social  ties,  and  make 
kindred  enemies.  Our  prepossessions,  instead  of 
tending  towards  another  religion  or  superstition, 
are  all  in  favour  of  that  which  we  believe  to  be  the 
true,  and  the  Christian.  No  needed  influences 
are  absent.  No  difficulties  are  in  the  way,  but 
what  are  within  our  own  control.  The  truth  we 
know.  The  truth  we  believe.  Damnation  irre 
trievable,  unmitigated,  and  eternal,  or  a  bliss  un 
ending,  full  and  immeasurable,  is  before  us.  To 
secure  this  proffered  happiness,  the  same  inquiry 
and  the  same  purpose  of  heart  which  were  made 
by  Paul,  the  jailer,  and  Lydia,  must  be  made  now, 
must  now  be  taken  by  the  sinner.  No  miraculous 
display  is  needed  to  convince  any  here,  of  the 
truth  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  you 
already  believe.  The  controlling  purpose  of  soul 
to  be  the  followers  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  act  of 
mind — is  the  decision  of  heart — free,  full,  and  gov 
erning  your  future  course  in  love  to  God,  in  love 
for  the  brethren,  and  in  obedience  to  his  laws — 
which  you  are  called  on  to  put  forth.  You  may 
do  it.  If  you  are  willing,  you  may  put  forh  this 
decision  of  your  mind  to-night.  The  Holy  Ghost 
is  urging  you  to  do  it ; — and  you  must  do  it,  if  you 
will  be  saved.  It  is  a  thing  of  your  own  concern 
now.  The  point  now,  on  which  shall  turn  your 
salvation.  It  is  the  point  to  which  the  Spirit  urges 
you — has  urged  you — this  night  continues  to  urge 


196  ELLA   V.,    OR    THE    JULY    TOtTR. 

you,  and  to  which  you  never  would  come  without 
his  urging.  But  you  may  resist  it — all  his  entreaty. 
You  may  yield  to  it.  It  is  the  point  to  which  the 
ministry,  in  all  its  efforts,  aims  to  bring  you.  It  is 
this  surrender  of  your  own  hearts,  by  your  own 
selves  to  Christ,  which  is  urged — which  you  are 
bound  to  make — which  the  Holy  Ghost  entreats — 
which  God  commands — which  the  Saviour  died  to 
permit — and  which  shall  secure  you  the  forgiveness 
of  your  sins,  through  the  blood  of  the  atonement. 
Each  day  you  delay  this  purpose  which  surrenders 
the  heart  to  God,  your  future  happiness  becomes 
more  doubtful — your  future  prospects  more  dread 
— more  dark — more  fearful.  Are  you  wise,  my 
unconverted  hearers  through  this  house,  this  night 
— are  you  wise  to  delay  1  '  What  shall  it  profit  a 
man  though  he  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his 
own  soul  V  O,  act  then,"  continued  Mr.  F.  in  im 
passioned  entreaty  and  eloquence  of  the  heart, 
c<  ACT,  THEN,  my  yet  delaying  friends,  YOUR  PART, 
while  you  may !  0  let  not  another  sun  beam  its 
reproachful  rays  another  morn  upon  this  earth  and 
find  your  hearts  yet  unsurrendered  to  the  God  who 
made  you.  Do  the  deed  by  a  decision  of  your 
souls,  unwavering  and  final,  to  be  for  ever  his. 
Do  it,  repenting  your  already  long  delay  and  accu 
mulated  ingratitude  and  neglect.  Do  it  with  an 
obligation  that  shall  bind  you  for  eternity.  Kest — 
No,  I  would  not,  for  a  world,  with  such  an  alter- 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         197 

native  before  me,  while  my  decision  remained 
unfixed!  Sleep — I  uould  not  for  a  million  of 
worlds,  with  my  determination  yet  unformed  !  And 
will  you — the  youngest  of  you  through  this  house, 
as  I  gaze  on  you  at  this  solemn  pause  and  profound 
stillness,  which  tells  me  that  the  finger  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  is  touching  the  passion-strings  of  your 
hearts — will  YOU  delay  till  the  coming  of  another 
and  more  convenient  season,  and  hazard  for  an 
other  six-days'  space,  the  proffered  friendship  of 
the  Eternal  to  your  jeopardized  spirits  1  God 
Almighty  forbid  it  !  And  you,  yes,  as  ye  love  your 
deathless  souls,  that  shall  live  while  the  Godhead 
is,  this  night  and  this  hour  forbid  it!  And  while 
this  propitious  moment  hangs  back  thus  wishful  for 
you  amid  these  hallowed  associations  of  this  peace 
ful  house,  0  close  in  with  the  proffers  of  a  happy 
immortality,  and  secure,  this  night,  the  portion 
that  shall  for  ever  feast  the  bliss  of  SOCIAL,  INTEL 
LECTUAL,  AND  IMMORTAL  SPIRITS  !" 

Thus  Mr.  F.  ended  his  discourse.  No  hymn 
followed  the  sermon.  The  preacher  knelt  and  dis 
missed  the  congregation.  They  walked  down  the 
crowded  aisles,  and  the  salutations  of  friends  this 
evening,  were  without  their  usual  smile. 


17* 


198        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 


SECTION    XIII. 

ON  Monday  morning,  as  the  sun  rose  clear  and 
fair,  our  party  were  moving  on  their  way  from 
Boston  to  Worcester.  Thence,  by  an  extra,  they 
reached  Hartford,  on  the  Connecticut,  the  same 
evening.  The  ride  was  pleasant.  A  more  lovely 
day  could  not  have  mellowed  the  landscape,  or 
yielded  its  gentle  breezes  to  temper  acceptably  the 
bland  atmosphere.  Most  of  the  party  were  enticed 
by  the  charming  day  to  ride  upon  the  outside  of 
the  coach.  Mr.  F.  and  Miss  V.,  however,  retained 
their  seats  within,  enjoying  their  views  from  the 
uncurtained  coach,  and  indulging  their  sentiments 
in  wit,  poetry,  piety,  and  romance.  The  whole 
party  were  much  delighted  with  this  day's  ride — 
perhaps  Mr.  F.  and  Miss  V.  were  most  so.  It  was 
a  day  of  leisure,  such  as  travellers  sometimes  feel. 
They  had  been  urging  on  their  course  to  new 
places  and  over  new  scenes ;  and  their  attention 
had  been  continually  exercised  by  the  objects  and 
incidents  of  the  way.  But  now  they  were  on  their 
return  ;  and  they  were  unbending  their  minds  in 
review  of  various  amusing  and  otherwise  interest 
ing  recollections  of  their  winding  way.  It  had  also 
been  concerted,  before  they  left  New-York,  that 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         199 

the  party  should  return  to  the  country  residence  of 
the  father  of  one  of  the  young  ladies,  situated  on 
the  banks  of  the  beautiful  Connecticut ;  and  when 
they  should  have  reached  Hartford,  they  would  be 
only  an  afternoon's  sail,  in  the  boat,  from  this 
charming-  spot. 

At  Hartford  we  spent  two  days  of  agreeable 
leisure,  receiving  the  attentions  of  friends,  and 
visiting  the  objects  of  attraction  in  the  neighbour 
hood. 

It  has  not  been  the  design  of  the  writer  to  in 
dulge  much  in  description  of  scenery,  places,  or 
incident — his  principal  wish  being  to  recall  and 
to  preserve  the  conversations  of  Mr.  F.  on  subjects 
of  interest  not  only  to  the  party  which  was  ren 
dered  every  way  more  pleasant  on  their  course  by 
his  vivacity,  historic  allusion,  anecdote,  and  chaste 
humour,  but  subjects  also  interesting  to  every  mind 
that  has  found  pleasure  in  turning  its  thoughts  in 
upon  its  own  mental  and  moral  being,  and  contempla 
ting  its  present  characteristics  and  onward  destinies. 
It  has  not  therefore  come  within  the  design  of  the 
writer,  to  note  many  of  the  spirited  scenes  and 
lighter  incidents  of  the  JULY  TOUR  of  a  party,  that 
embraced  in  it  the  elements  of  the  cheerful,  the 
humorous,  the  sentimental,  as  well  as  the  refined, 
the  intellectual  and  the  pious.  It  may  be,  that  another 
record  shall  be  made  of  other  incidents  of  the 
way  of  this  party,  which  will  not  be  exhibited 


200        ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

here.  But  the  writer  has  sketched  enough,  as  he 
has  passed  alon<r,  to  identify  localities,  over  which 
their  course  lay,  and  to  connect  the  particulars  that 
have  appealed  to  our  feelings  with  the  scenes  among 
which  they  occurred. 

The  writer,  in  view  of  his  design,  will  therefore 
omit  to  record  here,  much  of  interest  which  will 
long  be  remembered  by  the  party,  in  the  associa 
tions  connected  with  their  short  pause  at  this  very 
pleasantly  located  town.  Much  however  was  there 
written  among  the  sybiline  leaves  of  sentiment, 
that,  like  other  prophetic  incidents, 

"  Cast  their  shadows  before." 

It  was  here  Ella  V.  said  to  Mr.  F.,  "  Do  you 
not  think  that  friends  become  much  sooner  ac 
quainted  when  travelling  together,  than  under 
almost  any  other  circumstances  1" 

Mr.  F.  and  Miss  V.  had  never  met  until  a  few 
days  previous  to  their  leaving  New-York,  although 
they  had  heard  of  each  other  through  mutual 
friends.  But  at  this  time  they  seemed,  at  least,  to 
understand  the  feelings  of  each  other  in  the  silent 
language  of  sympathy,  as  they  together  contem 
plated  the  same  object,  or  exchanged  their  thoughts 
on  a  common  subject. 

The  night  of  their  arrival  at  Hartford,  was  such 
as  fairies  might  choose  for  moving  abroad,  on  their 
rambling  parties  through  shade  and  moonlight. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.         201 

No  heart  susceptible  of  the  mellowing  influences 
of  such  repose  of  evening  beauty  could  withhold 
the  outgushings  of  tender  feelings.  Such  a  mo 
ment  of  silence  and  blended  light  and  shade,  en 
kindles  devotion  as  well  as  romance.  The  house 
within  was  still,  as  the  repose  without.  The 
window-blinds  of  a  private  sitting  parlour,  allotted 
to  the  party,  were  half  way  opened.  Miss  V.  was 
sitting  in  one  of  two  chairs  which  occupied  the 
window  recess,  with  her  arm  resting  upon  the  sill 
of  the  open  window,  while  gazing  upon  the  light 
and  shade  without.  It  was  a  moment  of  happy 
emotion,  when  her  young  fancies  were  gilding  over 
with  richer  colouring  the  incidents  of  the  past  and 
blending  them  in  indistinct  perceptions  of  the 
present  and  the  imaginings  of  the  future.  There 
had  been  a  revolution  in  her  own  feelings.  New 
emotions  had  been  excited,  and  she  had  become  an 
actor  in  her  religious  obligations  and  onward  pur 
poses.  And  then,  other  feelings  had  come  over 
her  heart,  which  she  had  hardly  yet  learned  to  ana- 
lyze.  She  only  knew  that  they  made  her  sad,  as 
she  now  sat,  at  this  shaded  hour,  gazing  on  the 
calm  and  stilly  scene  without  ;  and  she  would 
gladly  and  freely,  in  tears,  have  poured  these  feel 
ings  from  out  a  young  and  swelling  bosom. 

Mr.  F.  entered  at  this  moment,  and  placed  him 
self  beside  Miss  Ella  V.     There  seemed  to  havo 


202         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

gathered  over  his  own  feelings  also,  some  similar 
plaintive  but  serene  emotion,  with  less  of  the  min 
gled  sadness. 

"Could  any  thing  be  more  enchanting!"  he  asked, 
as  he  took  his  seat,  and  slightly  widenedthe  open 
ing  in  the  green  blinds  of  the  window.  "  I  know 
not  how  it  is  with  others,  but  my  own  heart  sympa 
thizes  with  the  stillness  of  such  a  scene,  which  al 
most  makes  me  sad  to  tears.  I  dislike  affected 
sentimentalism,  but  there  certainly  is  that  in  na 
ture,  at  such  a  soft  moment,  that  touches  delicately 
on  the  emotions  of  the  heart.  Some  one  has  paid, 
'  If  you  would  shed  your  tears,  go  to  the  woods  ;' 
but  I  think  I  would  say,  '  If  you  would  give  free 
to  the  gushing  sadness  of  a  full  heart,  come  and 
look  on  this  calm  and  moon-light  scene.'  ': 

Miss  V.  replied  only  in  a  deep,  but  to  her  un- 
perceived  sigh  ;  and  they  both,  for  a  moment,  in 
dulged  their  separate  if  not  their  different  thoughts. 

"I  find,"  continued  Mr.  F.  after  a  considerable 
pause,  "that  at  such  moments,  my  heart  enkindles 
with  most  kind  feelings  for  the  religious  welfare  of 
my  friends,  for  whom  my  interest  has  been  exci 
ted  ;  and  I  know  of  no  emotion  more  sincere  than 
the  wish  that  rises  for  their  happiness.  Religion, 
surely,  is  a  benevolent  moulder  of  the  affections. 
And  to  me,  Miss  V.,"  added  Mr.  F.,  "  it  is  a  grateful 
emotion  which  I  find  at  times  swelling  towards 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        203 

my  God,  for  the  providence  which  led  me  early  to 
adopt  the  principles  of  this  religion  as  the  guide  of 
my  youth.  I  often  may  have  swerved,  but  I  have 
thus  far  been  preserved  from  the  terrible  wreck 
which  I  have  witnessed  of  a  number  of  my  early 
associates  and  later  acquaintances.  And  if  I  mis 
take  not,"  added  Mr.  F.,  "  some  kindred  feeling  will 
awake  in  your  bosom,  in  view  of  the  early  impres 
sions  on  your  mind.  How  gratefully  should  our 
hearts  swell  towards  God  for  the  influences  of  his 
Spirit,  in  his  providence  and  word,  which  have  in 
duced  us  to  embrace  our  best  interests  and  early 
duty  of  becoming  his.  And  how  changed  is  the 
onward  prospect.  And  how  gladdened  the  hearts 
of  our  mothers  over  the  assurance  of  our  safety 
here,  and  happiness  hereafter.  Could  you  wish  a 
different  consummation  of  God's  influences  upon 
your  heart,  Miss  V.,  than  that  which  has  brought  it 
to  himself1." 

Miss  V.  had  leaned  her  face  upon  her  handker 
chief,  and  was  weeping  silently.  She  did  not  reply. 
But  the  two  friends  needed  not  words  as  a  medium 
for  their  commune  of  hearts.  They  sat  not  in 
silent  embarrassment,  but  in  still,  and  hallowed, 
and  commingling  sympathies  of  kindred  bosoms. 

Some  moments  had  passed,  when  Mrs.  Le  Roy 
and  the  pale-cheeked  young  lady  of  the  party  en 
tered  the  parlour,  and  without  marking  the  pensive 
air  of  Ella  V.,  they  advanced  to  the  piano,  and  sung 


204         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

the  following  pathetic  words,  in  the  tune  to  which 
they  are  set. 


1. 

"  I'm  sometimes  sad,  but  know  not  why, 

And  weep  at  evening  hour; 
Then  gentlest  murmurs  whisper  by, 

And  stillness  wakes  her.  power. 
I'm  sometimes  sad  when  Cynthia's  beams 

The  fountains  silver  o'er  ; 
I  wander  then  among  the  elms, 

Where  shadows  hide  my  tear. 

II. 
I'm  sometimes  sad,  when  friends  that  were 

My  sorrows  wake  anew  ; 
They  once  were  here,  but  now  they  are 

Where  weeping-willows  grow. 
I'm  sometimes  sad,  when  friends  that  be 

Excite  the  tender  sigh, 
For  soon  a  long  adieu  they'll  say, 

And  so  must  I,  must  I ! 


III. 
I'm  sometimes  sad  among  the  crowd, 

And  in  the  circle  glee, 
And  often  when  the  laugh  is  loud 

I  go  to  bend  the  knee. 
I'm  sometimes  sad,  and  think  I've  none 

To  shed  a  tear  with  me  ; 
And  who  will  e'er  for  me  bemoan, 

When  'neath  the  pendant  tree  1 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        205 

IV. 
Sad  world  !  where  is  thy  soothing  power 

At  morn  or  vesper  mild  1 
Or  where,  when  noontide  tells  the  hour, 

The  charm  for  sorrow's  child  1 
Though  sad  I  roam,  though  drop  the  tear 

'Mid  light  or  shadow's  gloom  ; 
Erelong  I'll  lay  me  silent  there, 
Low  in  the  peaceful  tomb  !'' 

Miss  V.  rose  and  sought  her  chamber.  "  That," 
said  Mr.  F.  to  the  young  lady  who  sang,  after  a" 
moment's  pause,  "  is  like  the 

'  Remembered  note  of  a  mute  lyre.'" 


18 


206        ELLA  VM  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 


SECTION    XIV. 

AT  two  o'clock  the  steam-boat  shot  out  from  the 
dock  at  Hartford,  for  New-York.  Our  party  were 
on  board,  on  their  way  down  the  river,  in  high  ex 
pectation  of  soon  greeting  some  of  their  New- 
York  friends,  who  were  enjoying  the  country  air 
among  the  hills  and  amid  the  healthful  breezes  of 
the  Connecticut. 

"  Well,"  said  Le  Roy,  as  the  party  had  gath 
ered  into  their  little  circle  on  one  side  of  the  la 
dies'  saloon,  "  those  Hartford  people,  with  all  their 
notions  and  thrift  in  money-making  matters,  are  a 
benevolent  sort  of  folk.  Their  institutions  for  the 
deaf  and  dumb,  and  crazy  women  and  men,  (God 
save  us  from  running  mad,  which  I  have  appre 
hended  will  one  day  be  my  crazy  fortune,)  are 
worthy  of  all  commendation  from  both  the  wicked 
and  the  pious.  I  am  not  certain  that  I  would  not 
become  a  professor  there,  merely  to  witness  the 
exquisite  lingering  of  the  eyes  of  the  deaf  and  dumb 
pupils  on  their  teachers.  At  least,  when  I  reach 
New-York,  1  shall  propose  to  some  of  my  young 
lady  acquaintances,  to  feign  deafness  and  speech- 
less?iess,  and  to  secure  a  place  in  the  Asylum  at 
Hartford,  to  learn  the  art  of  lingering  their  eyes 
with  the  greatest  effect." 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        207 

"  Oh  Georgie,"  said  Ella  V.  to  Le  R.  as  a  gene 
ral  peal  of  laughter  burst  from  the  party,  as  they 
caught  his  quizzical  look  ;  "  your  face  out-quizzes 
the  hobble-to-gobble  tow-eater  we  saw  in  Boston. 
Surely,  you  could  not  expect  a  young  lady  to  lin 
ger  her  eyes  long  on  such  a  face." 

"But,"  said  Mr.  F.,  "  there  was  something  very 
fine  in  that  steady  attention  of  the  eye,  to  which 
Mr.  Le  Roy  alludes,  which  struck  me  as  exceed 
ingly  beautiful.  And  it  often  had  the  interest  of  a 
lingering  abstraction  about  it.  What  a  beautiful 
creation  was  that  dark-haired  and  brilliant  com 
plexion  girl  that  so  composedly,  and  like  one  of 
nature's  favourite  geniuses,  wrote  her  parts.  Do 
you  think  these  pupils  are  ever  conscious  of  the 
pity  that  sometimes  awakes  in  the  bosoms  of  their 
visiters  for  them  V 

"  They  most  generally  appear  happy,"  said  Mrs. 
Le  R.  "  And  I  only  marked  one  sad  countenance 
among  all  the  pupils  there.  Certainly,  out  of  our 
own  party,  there  could  hardly  be  found  such  ano 
ther  smiling-faced  company  as  the  pupils  at  the 
Asylum." 

"  And  yet,"  said  Mrs.  E.,  "  that  poor  girl,  who 
was  blind  as  well  as  deaf  and  dumb,  seemed  rather 
ill-natured  the  morning  we  visited  the  Asylum. 
And  how  strange  !  You  know  the  professor  told 
ua  that  she  was  aware,  as  discovered  by  her  con- 


208         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUH. 

tinually  feeling  of  her  cape,  that  she  was  not 
dressed  that  morning  for  seeing  company." 

"Seeing  company,  Mrs.  E."  said  Le  Roy. 
"  That  were  almost  like  a  lad  from  the  Emerald 
Isle,  who  was  going  to  see  music.  But,  like  the 
deaf  and  dumb  only,  I  suppose  this  singular  mis 
fortune  of  nature,  too,  has  some  melodies  of  soul." 

"  Mrs.  Sigourney  calls  her,  '  mysterious  nature's 
hermit-child^  "  said  Ella  V.  to  Le  Roy.  "  Poetry  may 
even  turf  over  our  graves  with  the  fresh  green  sod, 
and  plant  its  borders  with  flowers,  and  almost  make 
it  a  lovely  spot.  But  it  is  a  drear  place  when  we 
enter  it  with  the  heavy  feelings  of  reality  unlifted 
by  the  wing  of  our  imaginings.  What  a  desert- 
place  must  her  bosom  be  !" 

"  And  yet,"  said  Mr.  F.,  "  I  should  like  to  be  able 
to  commune  with  her  thoughts.  They  must  be 
strange  combinations,  often,  as  they  would  appear 
to  us,  could  we  see  them  in  the  additional  light 
which  our  two  senses  of  sight  and  hearing  have 
poured  upon  our  minds.  Miss  V.,  can  you  not  re 
peat  the  lines  of  Mrs.  Sigourney,  to  which  you  al 
luded,  associated  with  this  unfortunate  girl  1" 

"  I  can  only  recall  a  few  of  them,"  said  Miss  V. 
"  Mrs.  Sigourney's  sweet  lines  on  ALICE  have  a  di 
viner  charm  to  me,  as  she  represents  her  happy 
spirit  speaking  from  another  world  to  her  kindred 
on  earth : 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        209 

'  Sisters  !— there's  music  here ; 

From  countless  harps  it  flows  ; 
Throughout  this  bright  celestial  sphere 

No  pause  nor  discord  knows. 
The  seal  is  melted  from  my  ear 

By  love  divine ; 

And  what  through  life  I  pined  to  hear 
Is  mine  !  is  mine! 

'Joy  !— I  am  mute  no  more  ; 
My  sad  and  silent  years 
With  all  their  loneliness  are  o'er; 

Sweet  sisters,  dry  your  tears  : 
Listen  at  hush  of  eve — listen  at  dawn  of  day, — 
List  at  the  hour  of  prayer— can  ye  not  hear  my  lay  ? 

"Pis  better  here  to  be, 

No  disappointments  shroud 
The  angel-bowers  of  joy  ; 

Our  knowledge  hath  no  cloud, 
Our  pleasures  no  alloy  ; 

The  fearful  word— to  part, 
Is  never  breathed  above; 

Heaven  hath  no  broken  heart — 
Call  me  not  hence,  my  love.' " 

"  And  the  verses  you  remember  in  connection 
with  the  blind  girl,"  continued  Mr.  F.,  addressing 
Miss  V.,  perceiving  that  she  had  ended  her  quo 
tation  from  Mrs.  Sigourney's  beautiful  piece  called 
"  ALICE." 

Miss  V.,  after  a  moment's  recollection,  quoted 
two  verses : 

18* 


210         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

"  *  She  hath  no  eye — God  quenched  its  beam, 

No  ear — though  thunder's  trump  be  blown  ; 
No  speech — her  spirit's  voiceless  stream 
Flows  dark,  unfathomed,  and  unknown. 

'  Yet  hath  she  joys,  though  none  may  know 

Their  germ,  their  impulse,  or  their  power  ; 
And  oft  her  kindling  features  glow 
In  meditation's  lonely  hour.'  " 

"  But,"  continued  Miss  V.,  "  what  beautiful 
visions  she  must  be  deprived  of.  She  may  regale 
herself  with  the  perfume  of  the  rose,  but  she  can 
not  linger  her  eye  on  its  beautiful  colours,  nor  take 
in,  as  we  do,  the  picturesque  view  of  this  narrow 
pass."  Each  of  the  party  cast  their  look  high  up 
the  bluffs  which  they  were  now  passing,  and  which 
form,  at  this  spot,  the  most  picturesque  view  on 
the  river  below  Hartford. 

"And  what  could  be  her  conception  of  our  glo 
rious  steamer,"  said  Mr.  F.,  "  were  she  with  us 
gliding  over  this  silver  stream,  narrowed  here  almost 
to  the  width  of  the  ribbon  on  Mrs.  L.e  Hoy's  hat  1 
She  would  only  have  the  sensation  of  touch  to  be 
exercised,  which  would  possibly  give  her  the  idea 
of  motion  and  the  presence  of  fire.  But  all  beyond 
would  be  a  blank.  She  could  have  nothing  of  the 
beautiful  or  the  sublime  of  the  scene,  as  Miss  V.  has 
remarked.  She  could  not  know  that  we  were  glid 
ing  over  a  beautiful  river,  that  lies  so  still  in  its  deep 
passage  here,  through  this  deep  defile  of  hills  j  nor 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        211 

catch  the  increased  sound  of  the  water-wheels, 
brought  back  to  our  ears  in  this  pent-up  pass  as  we 
dash  on  our  course,  nor  see  the  little  village  that 
opens  before  us  now  so  beautifully — or  the  rece 
ding  city  as  we  gaze  in  our  rear,  though  now  just 
shutting  in  from  our  view." 

A  moment  only  had  passed  when  the  lily-cheek 
young  lady  had  come  back  to  the  party,  urging 
them  to  go  to  the  bows  of  the  boat,  to  gain  a  finer 
view  of  her  father's  country  residence,  as  it  would 
soon  open  upon  them  from  the  hills.  She  and  the 
little  Rosa  E.  had  already  been  gazing  for  its  first 
appearance,  and  in  another  ten  minutes  it  would 
be  in  full  view  of  the  boat. 

\Ve  shall  not  locate  this  residence  more  defi 
nitely.  The  spot  is  an  enchanting  one.  But  for  the 
present  we  would  conceal  its  precise  position,  as  we 
have  purposely  avoided  the  record  of  many  things  and 
sayings  of  the  lily-cheek  young  lady,  whose  father's 
country  residence  we  were  now  so  rapidly  nearing. 
Her  story  and  the  description  of  the  scenery  in  this 
neighbourhood,  will  be  left  for  a  work  differing  in 
its  nature  from  this.  It  may  suffice  here  to  say, 
that  she  has  romance  in  her  character,  and  but  one 
superstition.  Unaccountably,  she  thinks  that  her 
destiny  is  somehow  linked  with  a  crow. 

'  But,  belt  so  or  not, 
Another  I  can  never  wed, 
She,  never  be  forgot.' 


212         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

The  steamboat-bell  was  rung.;  and  in  a  few  mo 
ments  more  we  were  at  the  dock.  A  carriage  with 
a  span  of  beautiful  bays  and  a  couple  of  noble 
riding  horses  was  awaiting  Pus.  A  ride  of  a  mile 
brought  us  to  the  home  of  some  of  us,  and  to  the 
cordial  welcome  of  a  home  to  all  of  us. 


ELLA  V.,  On  THE  JULY  TOUR.        213 


CONCLUSION. 

A  FEW  days  had  passed,  which  had  been  spent 
amid  various  diversions  and  pleasures.  The  ladies 
rode  on  horseback,  and  rambled  the  fields,  and 
played  upon  the  piano  forte  and  the  guitar.  The 
gentlemen,  at  times,  were  sailing — at  others,  gun 
ning — at  others,  fishing — at  others,  listening  to 
the  music  and  conversation  of  the  ladies. 

A  few  days  had  passed,  and  the  carriage  was 
again  at  the  door  :  and  now,  the  party  were  to  lose 
some  of  its  members. 

Every  one  has  felt  that  those  who  have  been  on 
their  course  together  for  weeks  do  not  separate 
with  merely  feigned  regrets.  We  shall  not  here 
record  all  the  reasons  which  made  the  parting  of 
friends,  at  this  hour,  one  of  tender  feelings.  They 
were  to  ride  a  few  miles,  to  meet  the  post-coach  in 
stead  of  the  steam-boat,  that  they  might  pass 
through  New  Haven,  on  their  return-way  to  New- 
York.  They  were  accompanied  by  several  friends 
to  the  point,  where  they  were  to  take  the  coach ;  and 
there,  they  separated  with  kind  words  and  yet  kinder 
feelings.  Little  was  said,  but  much  was  felt.  Mrs. 
E.  and  little  Rosa,  her  daughter,  and  'Mr.  F.  were  to 
remain  for  a  few  weeks  at  the  father's  of  the  young 


214         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR. 

lady  who  had  been  with  them  on  their  tour.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Le  Roy  and  Miss  Ella  V.,  and  the  writer's  self 
were  soon  seated  in  the  post-coach.  Le  Roy,  though 
but  seldom  manifesting  other  than  joyous  feeling, 
now  spoke  the  parting  word  with  emotion,  which 
made  his  lighter  manner  unnatural.  The  coach  and 
the  carriage  turned  on  their  separate  courses,  at 
the  same  moment,  and  soon  the  broken  party  were 
lost  to  each  other. 

"  Well,"  at  length  said  Le  Roy,  after  the  coach 
had  passed  some  way  on  its  course,  "  our  friend 
Mr.  F.  is  the  cleverest  fellow  that  I  have  seen  for 
an  age  of  four  weeks,  at  least.  He  can  form  a 
moral  on  a  glass  of  champagne — cause  religion  to 
blossom  out  of  flowers — make  a  man  feel  immortal 
among  the  dead,  and  to  lament  that  he  is  not  a 
Christian  amid  the  wildest  enjoyments  of  life.  He 
peoples  the  dark  woods  we  pass  with  red-men  and 
warriors — and  re-fights,  for  Ella,  the  battles  of  her 
grandmothers.  And  then,  his  geology,  and  mine 
ralogy,  and  chemistry,  and  astronomy,  without 
seeming  to  know  any  thing  about  them,  either  in 
his  language  or  pretensions,  put  tongues  into 
the  passing  rocks,  and  mountains,  and  rivers,  the 
air,  the  moon  and  the  mushroom ;  and  preaches  ser 
mons  that  send  the  sinner,  in  fearful  language,  to 
destruction,  while  the  sinner  weeps  and  pardons 
his  denunciator  as  his  assured  friend.  I  admire 
the  learning  of  the  scholar — the  eloquence  of  the 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUB.        215 

preacher — the  modesty  of  the  philosopher — and 
love  and  almost  envy  the  man." 

Had  not  the  party  felt  the  truth  of  Le  Roy's 
remarks,  they  would  have  looked  rather  surprised 
at  such  a  set-speech,  as  this  would  have  seemed, 
from  one  whose  remarks  were  generally  brief,  as 
well  as  humorous. 

Ella  V.  had  been  silent,  in  her  own  musings, 
in  the  back  corner-seat  of  the  coach.  She  raised 
her  head  as  Le  Roy  ended,  and  after  a  moment, 
added,  "  Thank  you,  George,  for  thus  appreciating 
Mr.  F.  He  has  my  gratitude  as  well  as  admiration," 
added  Miss  V.  with  unintentional  feeling. 

"  And  think  you  this  is  all,  Ella,"  said  Le  Roy, 
returning  to  his  quizzical  vein.  "  I  said,  he  had  won 
my  love,  and  I  am  sure  you  would  rather  imitate 
than  envy  such  goodness." 

Miss  V.  did  not  venture  a  reply,  and  the  com 
pany  were  again  abstracted  for  some  distance  on 
their  ride.  Their  silence  seemed  to  be  the  result  of 
each  one's  willingness  to  enjoy  the  commune  with 
each  one's  own  thoughts. 

New-Haven  had  been  the  object  of  frequent 
allusion  during  the  tour.  Mr.  F.  always  spoke  of 
it  with  enthusiasm.  He  had  received  his  educa 
tion  there,  and  afterwards  remained  as  a  resident 
graduate  for  some  time,  to  attend  to  general  litera 
ture.  Miss  V.  approached  the  city  with  no  less  in 
terest  from  these  associations.  Le  Roy  had  also 


216         ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JUL"V  TOUR. 

recieved  his  education  there,  two  or  three  years 
earlier  than  Mr.  F. 

We  spent  a  day  in  this  elm-embowered  city. 
And  the  writer  could  have  lingered  as  many  more 
days  among  its  shades,  with  increasing  pleasure, 
as  he  spent  hours.  But  the  next  day  found  him  and 
those  he  accompanied  again  threading  the  noisy 
streets  of  their  city-home.  This  was  my  first  visit 
to  New-Haven.  I  know  not  of  a  fitter  retreat  for  the 
devotees  of  science,  literature,  and  taste.  Had  I 
sons,  they  should  be  sent  to  Yale  for  their  education. 
Surely  no  spirit  could  breathe  the  atmosphere  of 
this  town  and  not  become  a  purer  and  wiser  being. 
And  a  youth,  dwelling  among  such  beauties  of  taste 
in  nature  and  art,  during  the  formation  of  his  intel 
lectual  and  moral  character,  must  have  it  happily 
mellowed  by  the  loveliness  and  the  chasteness  of 
the  scenes,  and  the  associations  and  the  society 
among  which,  in  this  spot  of  enchantment,  he 
would  move.  The  city  is  a  literal  rus  inurbe,  and 
its  colleges,  its  churches,  its  green,  and  its  church 
yard  in  its  loveliness,  even  amid  all  its  melancholy 
associations,  will  always  render  New-Haven  the 
admired  rural  city  of  the  Union. 

We  shall  not  describe  the  meeting  of  Ella  V. 
with  her  mother,  on  her  reaching  her  home.  It  is 
enough  to  say  that  her  mother  is  a  Christian,  and 
her  confiding  daughter  had  much  for  her  ear.  The 
writer  parted  with  her,  and  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Le 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JDLY  TOUR.        217 

Roy  at  their  door,  with  the  promise  of  a  call  upon 
them  the  succeeding  day,  to  inquire  for  the  health 
and  happiness  of  his  travelling  companions. 

Nearly  five  weeks  had  passed,  when  the  writer, 
at  evening,  after  the  hour  of  five,  was  slowly  mov 
ing  up  Broadway.  His  attention  was  attracted 
by  a  noble  span  of  black  horses,  richly  caparisoned 
and  gallantly  bearing  on  a  heavy  barouche.  As  it 
neared  him,  a  white  handkerchief  waved  from  its 
side — an  emblem  of  recognition,  in  the  hand  of 
Ella  V.  My  eye  at  once  took  in  the  company,  as 
little  Rosa  E.  spatted  her  hands,  and  cried  out  my 
name. 

Mrs.  E.  and  her  daughter,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
F.,  had  arrived  in  the  city  early  the  same  morning, 
and  Miss  V.  with  her  mother,  had  been  taking  Mrs. 
E.  and  the  little  Rosa  out,  on  an  evening-ride.  On 
my  reaching  my  own  residence,  I  found  a  note  in 
forming  me  of  the  arrival  of  our  mutual  friends, 
with  an  invitation  to  meet  them  the  same  evening 
at  tea. 

Some  weeks  have  since  passed.  Among  the 

DTI  dits  of Place,  it  is  said,  in  a  little  more  than 

an  audible  whisper,  that  Miss  Ella  V.  is  engaged. 
We  shall  leave  the  reader  to  guess  the  further  par 
ticulars,  unless  one  may  divine  something  very 
certain  from  the  following  lines,  which  Mr.  F.  re 
corded  for  Miss  V.  on  the  separate  leaves  of  a 
book,  which  contained,  with  exquisite  taste  of  ar- 
19 


ELLA    V.,    OR    THE    JULY    TOUR. 

rangement,   the  flowers,  which  they  had  together 
culled  on  their  JULY  TOUR. 

To  Miss  ELLA  V. 
The  Language  of  Flowers. 
They  culled  us  at  the  border-lake  * 

Where  once  the  warrior-hosts  were  seen, 
And  Indian-yell  and  war-shout  spake 

Their  death-cry  o'er  the  thousand  slain: 
But  where  the  traveller  lingers  now 
To  gaze  upon  the  gorgeous  scene, 
And  lists  to  bugle-notes,  that  throw 
Their  echoes  up  the  deep  ravine. 

They  culled  us  at  the  storied  fallj 
Whence  Hudson  rolls  his  glorious  wave ; 

And  romance,  with  her  magic  spell, 
Hath  hallowed  there  the  Hawk-eye  cave. 

They  culled  us  at  the  spouting  fount^ 
Where  thousands  come  in  summer-day, 

And  talk,  and  dance,  and  laugh,  and  shout, 
And  drive  the  live-long  hours  away. 

They  culled  us  at  Mount  Holyoke^ 
That  raises  high  its  cloud-capt  peak, 

Where  nature  lines  her  grandest  work, 
And  mountain-beauties  loudest  speak. 

They  culled  us  at  the  shaded  mounds,\\ 
Where  AUBURN  mourns  the  sleeping  dead, 

And  where  the  traveller  threads  the  grounds 
With  slow  and  reverential  tread. 


*  Lake  George.  t  Glen  Falls.  I  Saratoga  Springs. 

§  Near  Northampton,  Massachusetts. 
1  The  burial-ground  near  Boston. 


ELLA  V.,  OR  THE  JULY  TOUR.        219 

And  though  we  love  our  native  lake, 

And  water-fall,  and  spring,  and  mount, 
Yet  memories  glad  we'll  fondly  wake 

As  Ella  shall  her  past  recount ; 
And  while  she  casts  her  speaking  eye 

Upon  our  leaf,  and  stem,  and  flower, 
Then  may  her  heart  gush  full  with  joy, 

As  she  recalls  THE  JULY  TOUR. 


THE    END 


•YB  7340! 


50 


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